Crazy, Random Happenstance
by Meghannna
Summary: Jess goes to a wedding and runs into an "old friend." What will be seven chapters that follow three times Jess and Rory are thrusted together. Every other chapter is in Jess's POV while the remaining ones are in Rory's. I loved writing it and I hope you love reading it.
1. Fancy Meeting

**WHAT?! I started a new story and didn't finish _Time Won't Let Me Go_?! Don't worry, I'm going to finish it. In fact, it will be updated soon. **

**I just got this story in my head, and I couldn't stop writing it. It's actually completely finished. I'll update once a week for the next eight weeks. I think it's eight, but it could be seven... or nine. I don't remember right now. I really hope you like it and I hope you review! I'm kind of excited about this story. I loved writing it.**

Jess had come to this wedding as a favor. He was wearing a suit, with his Converse, but still a suit, he had tamed his hair, even got it cut, he was wearing a tie, and there was nothing in it for him. He was just there as a favor to a friend. He hated weddings, he hated ties, but he had made friends with one of his authors and she needed a date to an old friend's wedding. He had nothing better to do on his Saturday night, and she begged, so he agreed and now he was miserable. The wedding hadn't even started, but he could already tell it was going to be a long night.

He was leaning against the wall in the back of the hall, watching the other guests find their seats and check their cameras to make sure they didn't miss a thing. All he was thinking was _why did I agree to this?_He didn't know anyone except for his date and he hadn't seen her since they got there. "Hey!" She said, sneaking up behind him. "I'm sorry I left you hanging."

"Don't worry," he told her, smiling. "You're busy. I'll be fine."

"Okay," she said and he could hear the doubt in her voice. "I should go back, but I wanted to check on you."

"Caroline, go," he insisted. "I'm fine."

"Good," she said, hugging him quickly. "Go find a seat. I'll catch up with you in a bit."

Jess looked back out at the seats and they were filling quickly. As his eyes traveled across the room, he was struck by the profile of a very familiar face.

"What just happened?" Caroline asked him and he could hear the amusement in her voice.

"What are you talking about?" He asked, tearing his eyes away.

"Your face just lit up and fell at the exact same time," she explained. "I don't how one does that, but you just did."

"I'm fine," he insisted. "I'll see you in a little while."

"If you insist," she sang before smiling and leaving.

Jess straightened his tie and jacket, stood up straight, and took a long, slow breath before walking toward the front of the room and that face. When he got to the row, he sat a few seats away and faced forward. From his position he could see her looking around the room until her eyes landed on him. He was already smirking, but he saw her face light up and fall at the same time. He knew what Caroline had seen just a minute or so earlier. She shook the look off her face as he turned to look at her and she smiled shyly.

"I tried avoiding this," she said quietly and he shrugged. "When I found out where I was going, I planned it all out in my head."

"You don't need to avoid me," he told her. "Who are you here with?"

"Just some guy," she told him and his eyebrows rose. "Just a fourth date at his sister's wedding."

"Ah," he nodded in understanding.

"Who are you here with?" She asked and then her face fell in a sudden realization. "Oh my god. This isn't your wedding is it? I mean, it could be for all I know. I don't know anyone here. Oh my god."

"Rory," he said, laughing. "So what if it is?"

"Is it or isn't it?"

"You didn't answer my question."

"You haven't answered mine!" she whisper-yelled. "I don't want to be at your wedding."

"Huh," he said, sitting back.

"Would you want to be at mine?" She asked with a sharp look and his face fell.

"That's a fair point," he conceded. She stared at him, still waiting for an answer. "Rory, I wouldn't be sitting here talking to you if this were my wedding. Luke, my mom, they'd probably be here. You'd know about it. My date is in the wedding."

She let out a long breath and he watched her carefully. "Mine too," she said and moved to sit next him. "Anyway, how are you?"

"I'm great," he told her sarcastically. "How are you?"

"Busy," she said. "I'm working, back in school, and planning Mom and Luke's wedding. Shoot me."

"It's going to be quite the affair, I hear," he said and she nodded, smiling simply at the thought.

All of a sudden, people started to quiet as the minister took his spot at the makeshift altar. The groom was walked to the front by his parents, followed by the groomsmen and bridesmaids. As the second to last pairing walked down the aisle, they both smiled and waved in Rory and Jess's direction. "Small world," he whispered, looking at Rory who was close to laughing at the coincidence.

As they watched the ceremony, Jess couldn't help peeking over at Rory every so often. Once, he found her looking back at him and she smiled shyly at being caught. When the ceremony was over, the guests were ushered to the adjacent ballroom for the reception and he caught up with Rory on the way.

"What table are you sitting at?" He asked when they reached the table full of place cards.

"Three," she answered, picking it up. "You?"

He just smirked and showed her his card, emblazoned with the number three on it. "Shall we?" She smiled, shrugged and followed him to the table. Her date had sat down already, but stood when he saw her.

"Rory," he said, smiling. "I wanted to catch up with you before I got suckered in to standing for pictures."

"Hi, Greg," she said, kissing him on the cheek. "You looked really great up there."

"Thanks," he smiled.

Jess sat down at the table, watching their conversation. It wasn't an awkward one, but you could tell they had only just started seeing each other. And for some reason, he hated this Greg guy already. And he knew he had no right to.

"I'll see you in a little while," Greg said to Rory and she smiled and nodded. She sat down next to Jess and folded her hands in her lap.

"Sorry if this is weird for you," she said and he just stared at her. She turned to look at him and continued talking. "It's weird for me, so I imagine it's weird for you. Who knows, though? You may be feeling completely normal sitting next to me at a wedding. I don't know how you think."

"Yes, you do," he said and she smiled. She knew him better than most anyone and he knew that. "This is extremely weird," he said finally. "But it's not your fault."

"I won't make it weird once your girlfriend gets here," she said as a couple sat down across from them. She smiled politely toward them, but turned back to Jess quickly. "I'll pretend I don't even know you," she whispered.

"That won't be necessary," he whispered back before taking a sip of his water that sat on the table in front of him. He watched as Rory did the same with her glass.

"I don't want to make her uncomfortable," she told him and he just shook his head. "Jess."

"Rory," he said, putting his glass down again before lowering his voice. "She's not my girlfriend. She won't be uncomfortable."

"Well, if she asked you to a close friend's wedding, she must like you," she said matter-of-factly and he shook his head again.

"I assure you," he started. "That is not the case. But, I will pretend not to know you so as not to upset your new boyfriend."

"He's not my boyfriend," she reminded him. "And you do not need to that. You're just an old friend."

"If I recall correctly, the last time you tried that line, it didn't play out so well," he told her with a small smirk playing on his lips.

"Yes, well," she said, letting out a breath, "Greg is not Logan. And you _are_ an old friend."

"You could always introduce me as your mom's fiancé's nephew," he told her and she shook her head, face contorted in a manner that caused Jess to laugh quietly. "Too much?"

"Confusing," she agreed. All of a sudden, the beautiful blonde that walked down the aisle with Greg sat on the other side of Jess. Both Rory and Jess smiled at her before Rory turned back to her place setting.

"I'm so sorry," she said, chugging back half of her water. "The picture portion of the evening is over. But, I'm sure I'll be summoned back for something else."

"The perils of being a bridesmaid," Jess said and Caroline nodded, sitting back in her chair.

"I'm Caroline," she said directed at Rory, behind Jess's back and he moved closer to the table, giving them room to talk.

"I'm Rory," she said, offering her hand for Caroline to shake which she did. "I came with Greg. You look amazing, by the way."

"Wow, thank you," Caroline smiled. "Greg's a really great guy. Do you work with him?"

"Yes," Rory smiled. "I teach English."

"Oh, that's so cool," Caroline said. "If I didn't write, I'd be a teacher. I'd have to get some intellect somewhere."

"You're a writer?" Rory asked, glancing quickly at Jess who was clearly listening, but not getting involved.

"Yeah," she smiled. "Jess is my editor. He's here as a favor to me."

"Well, that's sweet of him," Rory said, smiling.

"Rory and I are actually old friends," Jess interrupted and they both gathered closer to the table to include him. "Her mom is marrying my uncle in a few months."

"Wow, what a small world!" Caroline laughed.

"You could say that again," Rory laughed as Greg joined them at the table. "Greg, this is Jess. He's an old friend from my high school days."

"Oh, hey," Greg said, reaching across the table to shake his hand. "It's nice to meet you. Do you know my sister or brother-in-law?"

"Neither, actually. I just came with Caroline," he explained.

The three of them continued talking while Jess sat back and listened to them. Never one for small talk, but he smiled or nodded when necessary and answered any question that was asked. He wasn't being rude or standoffish. He was being Jess. They quieted when the bride and groom entered for the first dance, but jumped right back into a conversation while others stood to dance along with them. He watched the mother of the bride as she strode over to the table, stopping to greet guests along the way, as she finally stopped behind Greg.

"Sweetie, would you and Caroline mind coming with me before dinner is served?" She asked before looking down at Rory. "I'm Sheila, Greg's mother. You must be Rory."

"Yes, ma'am," Rory smiled. "The wedding was beautiful. It gave me a ton of ideas for my mother's wedding in a few months."

"I kept everything from the planning stages," Sheila said. "I'll give it to Greg to give to you if you'd like."

"That would be fantastic," Rory said, smiling again. "Thank you."

"My pleasure," Sheila said. "Greg, Caroline?"

Both Greg and Caroline stood from the table and followed Sheila to the back of the room where more pictures were being taken. Jess and Rory watched them and turned back to look at each other.

"You're awfully quiet," she said and he stared blankly at her.

"Are you surprised by that?" He asked and she shrugged.

"No, I guess I'm not," she finally said. "What do you think of Greg?"

"I don't want to have this conversation, Rory," he answered quickly.

"Come on," she pushed. "I don't know how I feel about him. I need perspective."

"From your ex-boyfriend?" He asked incredulously and she shrugged and then shook her head.

"You're right," she said. "I'm sorry. I should have known better."

"Whatever," he said, looking at her. "It's fine."

"Are you sure Caroline doesn't have feelings for you?" She asked suddenly, watching the wedding party in the back. "She really seems to like you. Do you have a history, at least? Like, have you slept with her?"

"Rory," he said, louder than necessary. "I don't want to talk about that with you, either. But, no I haven't. Have you? Because you're probably more her type."

"Oh," she said, realization dawning on her. "I gotcha."

"Why would you ever ask me if I've slept with her?" Jess asked, letting out a deep chuckle. "Have you become socially inept since we last spoke?"

"It was just a question," she said, waving him off. "Calm down. I don't care who you've slept with."

"Really?" He asked and she nodded. "So, let's talk about it. What, do you want the general number? Or each individual girl's name?"

"Jess," Rory said, putting her hand up to stop.

"No, you want to talk," he said, smirking an evil smirk. "Let's talk."

"I don't want to talk about it anymore," she told him, defeated. "I don't want to know who you've slept with. I apologize."

"Jeez, Rory," he said. "I'm not just some guy you were forced to sit next to at a wedding. We have history."

"Speaking of history and sex," she said, quietly, turning toward him and he laid his head in his open hands, exhausted. "The weird thing is, we never had it. Why do we care so much?"

His head sprang up again, eyes dark as he looked at her. "For the love of God, Rory," he whispered. "What has happened to you? You used to be able to carry on a conversation."

"I'm just curious, Jess," she said. "I'm just saying that since we never did it, it shouldn't matter to us who the other _has_slept with."

"But it does, Rory," he said, harshly. "It does matter."

"Fine," she said, turning back toward the table. They sat in silence until Caroline and Greg joined them back at the table.

"Dinner's about to be served," Greg announced and Rory smiled at him. Jess smiled curtly and looked down at the table. "Caroline, your dad looks great. How's he doing after the heart attack?"

"It's like it never happened," she answered, smiling. "He rebounded really well, thankfully."

"Your family's here?" Rory asked and Caroline nodded and smiled.

"Our families have been friends forever," Greg explained. "Caroline and my sister were inseparable through high school."

"It's true," she smiled. "We're basically one big family."

"That is so sweet," Rory commented.

"I'm going to go get a drink," Jess announced suddenly. "Anybody want anything?"

"No thanks," they said in unison and he got up to leave.

"He's never been one for big gatherings," Rory noted casually.

"It took a while to get him to agree to come with me," Caroline laughed. "My original date didn't pan out, so I was stuck for a bit."

"Oh, he'll fight you on it," Rory said. "But he'll do just about anything for a friend."

"He seems like a good guy," Greg said. Rory nodded as Jess sat back down between her and Caroline.

They ate their dinner throughout a lively discussion. When the conversation turned to Luke and Lorelai's impending wedding, Rory went on and on. Jess could tell that she had really done a lot of work for them and she was proud of it.

"Did Luke ask you yet?" She asked, causing Greg to look on confused. "To be his best man," she explained. "Jess is Luke's nephew." Greg nodded waiting for Jess's response.

"He called me last week," he answered. "I told him I wouldn't make a speech."

"Jess," Caroline started. "You have to make a speech. You're the best man!"

"You have to, Jess," Rory said. "If I have to, you have to. You're a writer; I'm sure you can think of something."

"I hate public speaking," he said. "I don't like being a spectacle."

"Neither do I," Rory told him. "We have to do it, though. It's Luke and my mom. We have to."

"Fine," he said, smiling softly at Rory. "If I have to."

"You do," she said with finality, but she was wearing her brightest smile. Jess noticed a familiar look on Greg's face as he looked from Jess to Rory and then back to his food. The four of them sat in relative silence throughout dinner, but once the cake was cut, served, and eaten, they all got up to dance.

Jess hated dancing, but it was part of the job when you agree to be a wedding date. He and Caroline dance through a few songs before her father cut in and Jess gratefully gave up his position. He sat down at the table after getting another Jack and Coke and watched her dance with each member of her and Greg's family. He saw Rory dancing with Greg's dad, her head thrown back in laughter and he couldn't help but smile and stare. Once she finished, she caught his eye and smiled before walking over to the table to sit with him.

"Being a date to wedding when your date is in the wedding is not all that fun," she said, sitting down. "He's schmoozing with everyone and I don't know anyone."

"His dad seemed to like you," he said, smiling. Rory smiled, took the drink from his hand and threw back a sip. "That was rude."

"Thank you," she said, placing it back in his open palm.

"Do you want to dance?" He asked, suddenly and she her eyes widened in surprise. "What?"

"I didn't think you danced," she said.

"Well, for you..." he said and she smiled, standing up.

"Don't try and charm me," she said and he stood with her, offering his arm. "I already saw you out there with Caroline. I was simply saying it surprised me. You never seemed like a dancer."

"Hey," he said, reaching for her hand and holding her to him as a new song began. "I can sway with the best of them."

She just smiled in return, put her hand on his shoulder and let him lead. They danced in silence through an entire song; Jess's hand remained on her lower back while his other was intertwined with hers. Every once in a while, he would look down at her, and each time he did she was looking up at him with a soft smile. When the first song ended, he went to let go of her, but she held his hand tighter and he continued to hold her. She stepped closer to him during the much slower second song, and he adjusted his stance as she laid her head on his shoulder.

"We should have gone to prom," she said quietly and he let out a long breath. "We're pretty good at this."

Thankfully he could hear amusement in her voice, so he didn't defend himself or apologize. He continued to hold her and he could feel her heart beating. When the song ended, she pulled away, smiled at him and kissed him softly on the cheek.

"Thanks," she said before walking away. He stood alone on the dance floor and watched her stop at the table to grab her purse. She got lost in the shuffle and he couldn't find her after that. On his way back to the table, Caroline stopped him.

"Come meet my family," she said, smiling. "They want to meet one of the men who made my dreams come true." He agreed happily and was taken to the next table full of more beautiful blondes.

Caroline's family thanked him over and over for believing in her and her talents. They thanked him for editing and publishing her book. They thanked him for accompanying her on her book tour and taking care of her along the way. They thanked him for being her date and spending time with them. He had never been thanked so many times. The crazy thing was, though, that they didn't need to thank him. He had been happy to do all of the things they thanked him for. Caroline and he became friends very quickly upon meeting and she had been there for him when he needed someone who wasn't his roommates.

He was sitting at a table with Caroline's parents and two older brothers. They had moved on from thanking him to talking about one of Caroline's nephews. Jess had no input on the subject, but made an effort to look interested. It had been about an hour since he and Rory finished dancing and he hadn't seen her or Greg since. That is, until she walked up from behind him and knelt down next to him to whisper in his ear.

"Meet me in the lobby in five minutes," she said, and he turned to look at her, confusion etched across his face. "Please? Trust me?"

"I think we're leaving soon," he told her.

"We are, too," she said. "We just said goodbye to his family and Greg is saying goodbye to everyone else and then grabbing our coats. Before we leave, though, I need to show you something. Please Jess."

He looked at his watch and back at Caroline who had been listening. She nodded with a smile and turned back to her family. "Okay," he said. "I'll see you in five minutes."

"Thank you," Rory said, delighted. She stood up and turned her attention to Caroline. "It was really nice to meet you. Take care of him."

"It was my pleasure, Rory," Caroline said before standing up to hug her. "Have a safe drive back to Connecticut."

"Thank you," she said before turning around and walking away. Jess watched her leave the ballroom before turning back to the table.

"What do you think that's about?" Caroline asked him and he shrugged. "She seemed pretty determined."

"She's always determined," he told her. She smiled, laid her hand on his shoulder and kissed him lightly on the cheek.

"Go see what it is," she told him. "And then tell me all about it later."

"Of course," he said, standing up. He straightened his tie and jacket and went out the ballroom the same way he watched Rory do minutes earlier. He found her in the lobby, standing at a small table filled with flowers. Her back was toward him so he couldn't see what she was doing, but he watched her for a minute and it was like she could feel his stare. She turned to look at him, smiling brightly.

"What are you up to?" He asked carefully, watching her and her smile grew.

"Come here," she said and he obeyed, walking closer. She turned away from him to pick something from the table up. When she turned around he noticed the piece of wedding cake with a single candle sticking up. "Happy birthday," she whispered and his eyes found hers. He felt himself smile and walked even closer to her.

"Where did you get that candle?" He asked, laughter lacing his voice.

"I, uh, asked around the staff," she answered. "But it's after midnight and it's officially your birthday, so it was worth it. Make a wish and blow it out before it ruins the cake, though."

He looked at her and then down at the cake before silently making a wish and blowing out the candle. "Thank you," he said. She put the cake down on the table and hugged him tightly, arms wrapped around his neck. He hugged her back and kissed her on the cheek before pulling away.

"I'm really glad I couldn't avoid you," she told him and he laughed. "This was so weird and crazy, but I'm glad I ran into you."

"Me too," he told her. "And in just a few months we'll be at another wedding, walking down the aisle together."

"That makes it sound like we're getting married," she laughed and he smiled with a shrug. "Have a good birthday."

"I will now," he told her and he walked a step closer to her. He was inches from her face and he could feel her breath on his own. "This was unnecessarily sweet. Thank you."

"You were mad at my lack of social skills earlier," she told him and he could hear how fast she was breathing. "I had to make up for that, I guess."

"No you didn't," he told her. He heard her swallow as he was watching her lips try and fail to form words multiple times. "Rory, what's wrong?"

"You're standing really close to me and talking directly to my lips," she answered and he let out a breath he hadn't known he was holding in. "What's wrong with you?" She asked with a nervous laugh.

"I'm standing really close to you and talking directly to your lips," he answered before closing the small gap between them and kissed her tantalizingly slow. He lingered on her bottom lip before pulling away and running his hand through his hair. "I was not expecting to do that, though."

"Funny," she said, with a humorless laugh. "I was hoping you'd do that."

He reacted by looking up from the ground and finding her looking right back at him.

"That was a stupid thing to do," he told her and she nodded hastily. "You're here with another guy at his sister's wedding and I don't want to go down this road again."

"You're right," she said. "It was stupid. But _you_ kissed me."

"You weren't exactly pushing me away, Rory," he laughed and she followed suit. "But we agree; this was a stupid mistake."

"Never to happen again," she said and he nodded. They heard the door of the ballroom open and fall shut and they turned to see both Caroline and Greg looking at them. "Hey, guys. Ready Greg?"

"Yeah," he answered. "I've got your coat right here. What's going on?"

Rory smiled and retrieved her coat before answering. "Well, it is officially Jess's birthday, so I wanted to start if off right."

"Happy birthday, man," Greg said, grabbing Rory's hand possessively. "We should go. We have a long drive ahead of us. Bye Jess, bye Caroline."

"Bye," they said in unison. Rory waved and smiled as she let Greg lead her out of the hotel.

"Happy birthday," Caroline said quietly. Jess nodded, still watching the door Rory and Greg had just exited. "Was your wish to make out with another man's date?"

He closed his eyes, as if that would erase the last five minutes. When he opened them, Caroline was still looking at him, but he was pleased to see she was smiling.

"Rory and I were more than friends," he told her and she nodded, as if she already knew. He was sure that she did, they hadn't hid it very well. "But this was a mistake. I shouldn't have kissed her."

"It's your birthday," Caroline said with a smile. "You get a free pass today." Jess smiled and put his arm around Caroline's shoulders.

"Ready to go?" He asked. She nodded, put her arm across his back, and they left the hotel for the short walk to her house and the final stretch to his.


	2. You Again?

**Okayyy! Here's the second chapter! I hope you all enjoy it! Let me know what you think!**

"Mom, you look amazing," Rory said once Lorelai had finally finished getting ready for the wedding. Her dress fit her like a glove and it had long lace sleeves, there was a jewel encrusted belt around her waist that really brought out her figure. Both Rory and Lorelai looked like they could cry any minute. Rory looked out the window and saw Luke take his place at the outdoor altar behind the inn. "We need to head down now. Are you ready?"

"As I'll ever be," she answered. She hadn't stopped smiling since she woke up that morning and Rory's face mirrored hers. Rory turned to look at the rest of the room, filled with Sookie, Liz, Emily, and April. They heard a knock on the door. "Come in!"

"Lorelai," Richard breathed when he opened the door. "You look beautiful."

"Thanks Dad," Lorelai said. "Are we ready?"

"We're ready," he answered and the women all started sorting out of the room headed downstairs. Lorelai stood with her parents on either side of her while Lane's twins, the ring bearers, stood in front of her, surprisingly quiet for two-year-old boys. Rory stood alone while Sookie and Jackson stood in front of her and Liz and TJ stood at the front. They were ready to go any second.

"Wait a second," Rory said all of a sudden. "Where is the best man? Where the hell is Jess?" She was looking around frantically, hoping that would will him into the room, but he was nowhere to be found.

"Calm down, sweetie," Lorelai said. She was calmer than Rory and it was _her_wedding. "I checked him in last night. He's around here somewhere."

"Liz, do you know where either of your children are?" Rory asked, her eyes wide in panic. Just then Doula ran into the room, followed by April.

"I found her," April announced before leaving the room to take her seat.

"I'm going to go find him and as soon as the ceremony is over I am going to kill him," Rory said. "I'll be back in _two_ minutes."

She left the dining room, where the wedding party was to exit the inn, and walked into the library where Jess had recently entered from the opposite door. When she saw him, she almost started screaming at him, but then she saw his face. His eyes were wide and his mouth was opened slightly, he was barely breathing.

"Holy crap," he croaked out before his breathing returned to normal and he smiled.

"What's wrong?" Rory asked, reaching down, and looking at the powder blue, strapless bridesmaids dress she was wearing. He was still staring at her and it made her very nervous. "Jess, what is it?"

"You look..." he started, taking a deep breath, searching for the right word, "disgusting."

Rory's face fell and she dropped her hands to her side, defeated. That wasn't what she was expecting. When she looked back at him, though, he was smiling, a smile that reached his eyes. She could only hope he was joking.

"You're late," she said finally. "Come on."

"I had to go back to my room and grab the rings," he told her as they walked back to the dining room. "Whoops."

As they entered the dining room, everyone turned to look at them. Rory smiled tightly and took her place in line. Jess high fived his sister and stood next to Rory. He said hi to his mom and turned to look at Lorelai, his face was hopeful. "Congratulations," he said and Rory watched as her mother smiled so brightly at a man she used to despise. "You look great."

"Thank you, Jess," she said. "Dad, this is Luke's nephew. Jess, this is my father, Richard. You remember my mother, I'm sure."

"I do," he said. "Nice to meet you, sir." Emily and Richard nodded and Richard smiled.

"You too, Jess," he said. "Rory, shall we start?"

"Yes, yes we shall," she answered. Liz and TJ started walking down the aisle and once they reached the middle, Sookie and Jackson followed suit. "Jess, come here," Rory said and Jess turned to look at her. She reached up to straighten his tie and ran her hands down his chest in order to button the top button of his vest. Her eyes were on his while she did so and he smiled when she brushed his shoulders.

"I'm a mess," he said and she shook her head.

"You look very handsome," she told him. He smiled, turned and offered her his arm. As soon as she took it, they began their walk down the aisle toward Luke.

"You look amazing," he told her once they reached the middle of the aisle. "I just couldn't find the right word earlier."

"Thank you," she said quietly, looking toward him quickly with a smile, before turning back to the front of the room. Once they reached the front they took their spots and watched as Doula, Steve, and Kwan walked down the aisle. She turned to look at him as the wedding march began and he was looking right at her with a straight, serious face.

As Lorelai was walked down the aisle by her parents, Rory began to tear up, but she stopped herself. She had promised Lorelai and Luke that she wouldn't cry. When her mother handed her the bouquet, she kissed her quickly on the cheek and told her she loved her. Lorelai smiled, and touched Rory's cheek sweetly before turning back to look at Luke. Throughout the short ceremony she looked on at her mother and Luke and they both looked so happy. There were a few instances where she felt Jess watching her, but whenever she looked at him, he quickly averted his eyes and focused on Luke and Lorelai.

The whole wedding party smiled throughout the entire ceremony, even Jess, Rory noted. After Luke kissed his bride, the whole back lawn of the inn, filled to capacity, cheered. Tons of people were crying, but everyone was smiling. Lorelai turned to Rory, smiling bigger than she had ever smiled before.

"I did it, kid," she said and Rory hugged her. "I love you."

"I love you, too!" Rory shrieked. "Congratulations Mrs. Danes." Lorelai smiled, wriggled her eyebrows and turned back to her husband. They started the walk back down the aisle and Rory met Jess in the middle, reaching for his arm again.

"This wedding beats that last wedding's ass," he told her and she threw her head back in laughter. "You did a really good job."

"Thank you," she said. "I'm so happy I'm done with it, though. It was a lot of work."

"Now we celebrate."

"Now we celebrate," she agreed.

When they got back inside, the rest of the guests were pouring in as well. Luke and Lorelai were sitting at a head table just big enough for them. Jess and Rory were seated at a table with Liz, TJ, Sookie, Jackson, Emily and Richard.

"Did you make the seating chart as well?" Jess asked, as he sat down in front of a card with his name on it. Rory sat next to him and smiled.

"What do you mean?" She asked innocently. "Of course I did."

"Awfully convenient you get to sit next to me for the night," he said and she laughed quietly. "But this wedding will not end like the last one did," he whispered with a smile. She turned to face him with an embarrassed smile.

"Well, you're the one who ended it that way," she reminded him. "So, you better keep your word."

"Rory!" She heard Lorelai yelling from the next table and she turned to look at her. "Could you come here for a minute, please?"

Rory left the table with a light pat on Jess's shoulder and walked to Lorelai and Luke's table. Luke was talking to April while Doula sat on his lap.

"What's going on?" Rory asked, standing next to Lorelai, her voice low.

"Great question," Lorelai said. "What _is_going on with you and Jess?"

"What are you talking about?" Rory asked, her voice high and nervous.

"With the whispering and the smiling? A few months ago we were afraid to invite him to the wedding so as not to upset you and now you're flirting with him."

"I am not flirting with him, Mom. Jeez," Rory said, laughing. It sounded off, even to her own ears. "We're both adults; we're just being friendly."

"If you need to tell me something, Rory, tell me now please," Lorelai said. She was smiling, but she was serious. Rory shook her head, signaling that there was nothing to tell her. "Well, if you think of something..."

"Yeah," Rory said. She kissed Lorelai on the cheek and turned back to sit down next to Jess.

"Is she onto us?" He asked without looking at her. Rory nodded and hoped he could see it from his peripheral. "Does she know there's nothing to be onto?"

"That's what I told her," she said. "I haven't told her about what happened and I don't really want to."

"I don't really want you to either," Jess said. "I don't think there's anyone who would approve of our stupid mistake."

"Not a soul," she agreed with sad laughter.

"Rory, do you know when we have to pose for pictures?" Emily asked from across the table.

"Mom doesn't want posed pictures," Rory explained. "I'm trying to convince her to get at least one of the families and the wedding party."

"I do hope she listens," Richard commented. "Candid photos are always fun, but she'll want at least one with everybody."

"That's what I said," Rory told him. "We'll see. I'll keep working on it."

"So, Jess, what is it that you do?" Richard asked suddenly and Rory turned in time to watch Jess's eyes widen. He hadn't expected the conversation to turn to him, especially not by her grandfather.

"He's a writer," Liz answered. "He's brilliant." Jess smiled tightly and shook his head.

"I wouldn't say brilliant," he said with an easier smile. "But I am a writer... and an editor."

"What is it that you write?" Emily asked, clearly surprised. She was probably expecting him to say fast food worker.

"Short novels," he answered. "My second one is in its last phase of editing right now. It should be released after the first of the year."

"Fantastic," Richard exclaimed. "I'd love to read your work."

"You can borrow my copy, Grandpa," Rory told him. "I'll bring it to dinner next week."

"Thank you, Rory," Richard said.

Afterwards the conversation shifted to the wedding. People were coming up to Rory from all over the room to tell her how lovely everything looked and how it was running so smoothly. More than once she was told she could change professions easily if she ever had the desire. She kept thanking people graciously, but she really was happy with the way things had turned out. When she offered to take over the whole planning process of the wedding, Lorelai fought her on it, but eventually accepted it as their wedding gift. The night before she told Rory just how perfect everything was and how she wouldn't have been able to do quite as good a job. That was the only praise Rory needed. She just wanted Lorelai and Luke's day to be perfect.

"Excuse me," Michel called from his place in the back of the room. "It is time for Luke and Lorelai's first dance."

The music started to play and Luke led Lorelai to the center of the room. They danced through the song, smiling at each other and talking softly. Emily, Liz, and Sookie were both crying softly from their places at the table. Rory and Jess looked on; close enough to touch but avoiding it at all costs. When the song ended Lorelai invited everyone else to join them and most did. All of the couples were on the dance floor in seconds and the few single stragglers watched from their seats.

"So," Jess said. "Why didn't you bring Greg to this shin dig?"

"He ended things on the way home from the last wedding we went to," she explained. She was smiling and she could tell he knew why.

"I'm sorry," he told her. "It was probably my fault."

"Eh, it was," she said and he laughed. "I don't care, though. He wasn't the one for me."

"I could have told you that."

"Well, when I asked you didn't tell me anything," she reminded him and he nodded, remembering. "Why didn't you bring a date?"

"There's no one I hate enough to subject to a weekend in Stars Hollow," he told her with a short, deep laugh.

"Ah, of course," she said, shaking her head with a smile. "I'm going to go get a drink. Do you want anything?"

"I'll go with you," he said and they stood up. They walked around the couples dancing, to the back of the room where the bar had been set up. He ordered a Jack and Coke while she ordered a martini. They stood together, their backs against the back wall, watching everyone dancing and the others talking on the sides.

"Dateless to my own mother's wedding," she said, sipping her drink. "Life is not fair."

"It could be worse," he told her. "You could be stuck with your ex-boyfriend watching his uncle and your mother making out in front of the entire town." She smiled at him and he playfully nudged her shoulder with his.

"It's not so bad, I guess," she conceded. "Come on. We're going to get in trouble if my mom sees us standing around together. She'll think we're planning our affair."

"Ah, yes, our affair," he said with a dry laugh, pushing himself off of the wall. They walked back to the table and sat down with their backs to the rest of the wedding.

"How do you think we'd be acting right now if I had gone to New York with you when you asked?" She asked and he put his head in his hands before looking up to answer.

"Rory," he said with an exacerbated sigh. "Come on. Why do you enjoy torturing me with painful conversation?"

"I'm just curious," she said. "I can't imagine what that would have been like. I wonder if you can."

"Of course I can. I was the one who proposed the monumentally stupid idea," he reminded her and she gave him a pointed look to answer her original question. He let out another sigh, took a long sip, and continued. "This would be a lot more awkward than it is now. We never would have lasted if you said yes. I said I was ready then, but I wasn't. I would have messed things up so much more than they already were. We would have broken up by the end of the summer and you would never want to see or speak to me again."

"I think you're being a little hard on yourself," she told him and he shook his head, disagreeing. "You were never as bad as you make it out to sound. Except for that whole, moving to California without a goodbye thing. That was pretty terrible."

"Yeah, well," he said, taking another a drink and looking at her. "I am very sorry for that."

"I know," she said with an easy smile.

She could see the servers waiting to serve dinner and she motioned to Michel to make the announcement. The music stopped, people stopped dancing, and Michel announced that dinner was ready to be served. Once everyone was seated in their seats again dinner was served. The conversation was bustling at every table throughout dinner. People were having a great time and Sookie's food was fantastic. As soon as people were finished, they were calling their praises across the room. Sookie waved them all off, but she, too, was proud of herself. Next was the cake. And boy, was it a beautiful cake. It looked like a classic wedding cake on the outside, but inside it was mocha chocolate with caramel swirls throughout. Sookie worked weeks on the recipe to perfect it and it was the most amazing thing Rory had ever tasted.

When Jess took a bite out of it, she heard his reaction and it made her smile. Sookie was pleased with everyone's reactions of the food and the cake. She had worked tirelessly to make everything perfect for Luke and Lorelai. She was so happy to see them finally married and happy; it took a long time for them to get there.

"Are you kidding me?" Jess asked Rory quietly when his cake was cleared by a server. "That was the most delicious thing I have ever tasted."

"I know," Rory said. "I could hear you practically whimpering as you ate it."

"I don't even care," he told her and she laughed.

The dancing started again as soon as the cake was finished. It was all fast and everyone was dancing together. Rory got up to dance with her mom and Lane while Jess sat at the table with his little sister. He was telling her something and she looked up at him like he was the most important person in the room. Lorelai danced off to join Sookie and Pattie in the middle of the floor, leaving Rory and Lane alone for the first time all day.

"So, you and Jess seem to be getting along very well," Lane said and Rory rolled her eyes. "What? It's just an observation."

"We've grown past whatever has happened between us," Rory told her. "We're being friendly towards one another."

"What happened at that wedding, Rory?" Lane asked and Rory's eyes shot open wide. "I know something happened. You called me the next day and I could hear it in your voice."

"He and I made the executive decision not to share with anybody what happened between us that night," Rory said. "It wasn't a big deal anyway. I gave him a piece of cake for his birthday and he thanked me for it."

"How did he thank you?"

"He used his mouth."

"So," Lane said drawing the word out. "What you're saying is he kissed you?"

"I said no such thing," Rory said, but her smile answered Lane's questions and Lane just shook her head with a laugh. "Really, though, we don't want to talk about it."

"Okay," Lane said finally. "Fine."

They continued dancing until the music turned slow. Rory turned to go back to the table while Zach asked Lane to dance. As she turned around, she ran into Jess.

"What happened to your shoes?" He asked, his voice full of amusement. She looked at her feet and up at him and smiled.

"What happened to your tie?" She asked in return and he shrugged. "Where are you off to?"

"To dance," he said. "Join me?"

He offered her his hand and she took it carefully. They danced closer than they should have and they talked throughout two songs. He asked her about teaching and she asked him about Truncheon. She told him that she was working on her Masters while teaching and he told her that he would send her an advanced copy of his next book. He joked about the townspeople and she laughed into his shoulder. She told him about her apartment and how she frequently found naked homeless men by the trash and he laughed hard. They were having fun and it was hard to deny that she wanted him to kiss her again. She didn't make any moves, though, because she knew it would be a mistake. She could see something in his eye when he talked to her, she could see him looking at her lips. She could tell he wanted the same thing as her. She knew, though, that it was a mistake. She knew he felt the same because it would be a mistake. When the second song ended she looked up at him and smiled.

"I need your help," she said and he looked at her questioningly. "You need to help me convince my mom to take a picture of the wedding party. Please?"

"Fine," he said. "But you should put your shoes on for that."

She smiled and pulled him to the table where she sat down to put on her shoes. She found his tie on his chair and handed it to him. When they were both dressed correctly, they found Lorelai and Luke at their table.

"Mom," Rory said, standing in front of her. "It's getting late and I think we should take the wedding picture now. I'm sure the candids they've gotten are going to be great, but there are none with all of us together."

"Rory, it's so cliché," Lorelai whined. "I don't want to be cliché, not on my wedding day."

"Lorelai, maybe we should," Luke said. "We can hang it up in the house."

"Jess," Lorelai said and he listened for the rest. "What do you think we should do?"

"I'm, uh, not one for getting my picture taken," he said honestly and Rory shot him a look. "But, it might be something you'll want later on."

"You're just saying that because you want to get it into my daughter's pants," Lorelai muttered. Rory heard her, but she didn't think anyone else had. Luke would have reacted at least. Lorelai stood up. "Let's go. Rory, Jess, wrangle up the rest."

Rory smiled triumphantly and pulled Jess by his sleeve to get everyone else on board. Lorelai and Luke waited in the library while the rest of the party joined them. The photographer took their picture alone before directing everyone else where to stand. After three quick photos were snapped Lorelai stopped the photographer and ushered everyone back to the party. She held Rory back as everyone left them behind.

"Was I wrong about him wanting to get into your pants?" Lorelai asked with a laugh.

"Mom," Rory whined, throwing her head back. "Nothing is going on with us."

"Rory, I love you, but you are blind," Lorelai said, holding her by the shoulders. "He wants you. And I think you want him."

"We don't want each other," Rory tried to assure her. "There's nothing going on between us."

"Did something happen at that wedding you saw him at a few months ago?" Lorelai asked and Rory tried to hide her surprise. "There are some lingering feelings. I can tell."

"We kissed," Rory admitted quietly. "But we agreed it was a mistake and we weren't going to let it happen again."

"Why didn't you tell me, Rory?"

"Because you're upset about it," Rory said. "I can tell. I didn't want to upset you over nothing."

"I'm not upset," Lorelai said finally after a few seconds of looking hard at Rory. "I'm not. I am surprised, though. It's Jess!"

"And that's why nothing else is going to happen, Mom," Rory told her. "We're trying to remain friends through this wedding and I think we're doing okay."

"He wants you, Rory," Lorelai told her. "Everyone can see it. My mother has mentioned it to me and so has Sookie."

"Well," Rory started, looking past her mother, searching for words. "I don't know what you want me to say. He may want me, but I don't think anything is going to happen. I promise you, I'm trying really hard."

"Why are you trying so hard, Rory?" Lorelai asked and Rory looked at her. She wasn't expecting her mother to say that. "If you both want it, then go for it."

"You were the one who just said it was Jess," Rory laughed. "Jess and I are so messy."

"But, my god, you two have chemistry," Lorelai said laughing. "There was actual electricity between you when you were dancing, even when you were talking."

"Sweetie," Sookie called as she walked into the library. "Oh, I'm sorry to interrupt, but I think Kirk is about to start stripping out there."

Lorelai raised her eyebrows suggestively and let go of Rory. "I can't miss that," she yelled and followed Sookie out of the room.

"Mom, there are children in there!" Rory called after, but Lorelai just waved her off and continued on. Rory sat in one of the chairs in the library and listened to the shrieks and hoots from the other room.

"Oh my god," she heard Jess say as he entered the room. He sat in the chair across from her. "You made a good choice hanging out in here."

"There's no chance in hell I'm going out there," she told him with a quiet, almost dark, voice. She looked anywhere but at him and she was wringing her hands in her lap. She could feel him watching her.

"What's the matter?" He asked, sitting back in his seat. "You're acting like you're mad at me."

"I am not mad at you," she told him and she looked at him quickly before she averted her eyes once more.

"Rory! What the hell?" He asked and she could hear him getting angry. "Why are you acting like I kicked your dog?"

"I am not acting like you kicked my dog, Jess!" She nearly yelled and he pointed his gaze. "I'm just putting some space between us."

"What the hell are you talking about?" He asked and she pointed her gaze right back at him. She knew that he knew what she meant. "I haven't crossed any lines, if that's what you mean."

"I know that," she said softly and his face softened. She could tell he just wanted an explanation and he deserved it, but she was finding it hard to communicate it. "I just- I don't- I don't want us to do anything that could hurt the other person. We're getting dangerously close to crossing that line and it's getting severely difficult to stop myself."

"You're doing okay," he told her. She smiled at the light tone of his voice. "You haven't done anything that could be construed as a mistake. I think we're doing a pretty good job."

"Do you?" She asked and he nodded. "So, if we continued dancing and joking and talking and touching ever so slightly, you'd be okay at the end of the night? You wouldn't kiss me? You would stop me from kissing you?"

He laughed humorlessly. "Rory, I could never stop you from kissing me," he said honestly. "But I think I could stop myself."

"Okay," she said with a definitive nod. "So, it is our own responsibilities because, clearly, I wouldn't stop you."

"Our own responsibilities," he agreed. They sat in silence until Lane and Zach came in carrying the boys.

"Oh, sorry," Lane said, looking at Rory. "I just wanted to say goodbye. I wasn't sure when you were leaving."

"I'm staying here tonight," Rory told her. "I'll see you tomorrow at the diner."

"Oh, good," Lane smiled. "Bye Jess. It was nice to see you."

"I'm sticking around until Monday," he said. "I'll probably see you around lunchtime tomorrow."

"Oh, great," she smiled politely. "Well, you guys have a good night."

"Bye Lane. Bye Zach," Rory said and Jess waved. "Why are you here until Monday?"

"I'm hanging out with my sister," he said with a shrug. "I don't see her often."

"She _loves_ you," Rory said with a wistful smile. "When you talk to her, she hangs on every single word."

"It's hard not to love me," he said and raised his eyebrows. Rory just let out a laugh and rolled her eyes.

They watched as the rest of the guests left the inn. Emily and Richard stopped on their way out. So did Liz, TJ and Doula. The rest of them left with waves or shouted goodbye as they walked home. Lorelai and Luke found them as the last guests were closing the door.

"We're going home now," Lorelai said. "You two are the only people staying here tonight. Michel and Sookie will be in tomorrow morning. We're leaving very early tomorrow, so we won't see you."

"Bye Mom," Rory said, standing up to give her a hug. "I love you."

"I love you too, Rory," Lorelai said with a huge smile. She kissed her on the cheek and hugged her again.

"Bye Luke," Rory said, hugging him. "Take care of her."

"Always," he promised, smiling. Rory smiled back and turned as Jess stood with them. She watched as he and Luke silently hugged and as Lorelai offered her own hug. Jess was surprised, but accepted it.

"Rory, make good choices and stay in room 10," Lorelai said with a smile. Rory was about to question, but Lorelai ushered Luke out of the inn without another word.

"What was that about?" Jess asked.

"I have no idea," Rory answered truthfully. She made sure to lock the door behind them. "I'm going to go to bed, then."

Jess nodded and watched as Rory grabbed the key from behind the desk. "You have your key, right?" She asked and he nodded, pulling it out of his pocket.

She followed him up the stairs and saw him stop at his room. Room number 8 which, of course, was an adjoining room to room number 10. Her mom was secretly wishing something would happen. Rory couldn't believe it. They smiled at each other before going into their respective rooms.

When Rory realized she had forgotten her luggage in the car, she threw her head back and sighed loudly. She left her room, walked down the stairs, turning lights on as she went so she could see, and walked outside to where there were only two cars in the lot. She grabbed her luggage and carried it through the inn, making sure to lock the door and turn off all the lights as she went.

When she entered her room, she threw her bag on the floor, and kicked her shoes off. However, when she turned toward her bed, she noticed Jess sitting on the edge, looking up at her, and she stopped in her tracks.


	3. Fighting the Urge

**Third Chapter. Things are really getting real now.**

**I hope you like it :) Read and review! I love reviews :)**

"Hi," he said, holding back a smirk. She looked like she was about to fall over. He stood up when she recovered. He watched as she took a tentative step back. "I'm starving. Do you want to raid the kitchen with me?"

She let out a breath and revealed a smile.

"Stupid question," she said. "Let me change first."

He nodded, looked down at his clothes; he was still wearing his suit pants, shirt, and vest. "Me too."

He left her room through the door that directly entered his own. He changed quickly into a pair of black sweatpants and a gray t-shirt. He felt ridiculous wearing the inn's slippers, but the only other thing he had were his sneakers or the dress shoes he had been wearing all day. He heard a soft knock on the door, and opened it into Rory's room. He let out a single laugh when he saw what Rory was wearing.

"Oh my god," she laughed. "We match."

She was wearing a pair of gray sweatpants with a black tank top and the slippers from the inn. Jess just shook his head and walked into her room.

"Shall we?" He asked and she followed him into the hallway and down to the kitchen. When they got to the kitchen, Jess stood in the center of the room, hands in his pockets, weighing his options. He watched as Rory walked straight to the freezer, pulled out a small carton, sat on the counter and pulled out a spoon.

"Ice cream?" She asked and he shrugged, walking to sit next to her. They passed the spoon back and forth, eating the pint of homemade mint chocolate chip. "Sookie makes the best ice cream."

"I think it's safe to say that Sookie makes the best everything," Jess said, mouth full of ice cream. When he swallowed, he licked his lips and said, "The food today was amazing."

"She's the best," Rory agreed.

"How do you feel about pancakes?" he asked, sliding off of the counter and handing the spoon to Rory. "I could go for some pancakes."

"I love pancakes," she answered wistfully and he smiled in return.

He walked around the kitchen gathering the supplies he would need. He could feel her watching him as he stirred and eventually cooked.

"Where did you learn to cook?" She asked and he looked at her quickly with a small smile. He flipped the last pancake and nodded for her to join him at the center island.

"Luke," he answered finally. "Sort of. I picked up a lot from him. It's pretty easy to learn how to cook with a recipe, though. And it turns out I'm pretty good at it."

He was standing across from her and watched as she took a bite of her pancake, slathered in the syrup he had found in the fridge, and her eyes shut just for a second and when they opened, she smiled. "These are amazing," she told him. "These are the fluffiest pancakes I've ever eaten."

"They're just pancakes, Rory," he laughed. "They're pretty easy."

"I could not do this," she told him, stuffing more food into her mouth. She was finished with her two by the time he finished his first. "I'm proud of us," she said suddenly as she pushed herself to sit on the counter once more and he continued to eat.

"Because we haven't made out yet?" He asked with a smirk and she nodded. "I'm proud of me, but I'm a little disappointed in you."

She looked at him, clearly confused. "What do you mean by that?" She asked.

"Never mind," he laughed. He put their dishes in the dishwasher and cleaned up the mess he had made.

He could see she had not given up trying to figure out what he had said. She was watching him like his slight movements would tell her what the comment meant. All of a sudden, as he threw a paper towel into the trash, he heard her gasp and looked at her. She'd figured it out and she looked annoyed.

"Are you saying that you're proud of yourself for not kissing _me_, but disappointed in me for not kissing _you_?" She asked, standing in front of him with her hands on her hips.

He smiled smugly and laughed before walking around her and out of the kitchen. She followed him through the inn and up the stairs and when he reached his door, he remembered that he had left his key inside. He waited for her, biting his lip innocently.

"Oh, forget something, did we?" She asked as she opened her own door.

"Just let me through your room," he said and she stared blankly at him as he walked toward her. She let the door fall shut behind her, but he caught it in time with his foot. "Jeez, Rory, I was just kidding down there."

"Well, I'm a little disappointed in you, Jess," she said when he was inside her room and the door was closed.

"Because I haven't kissed you?" He asked and she let out a deep breath. "I feel as if we're at an impasse."

"Nothing's going to come of this," she said and he nodded.

"I should just go to my room," he said, but he took a very small step closer to her instead. He watched her as she watched him. Her breathing was rapid and she kept licking her lips. He felt like he was going to combust, but he was not going to be the one that folded.

"Maybe you should," she agreed, but she too took a step closer to him.

They just stood, about a foot apart, watching each other. They were both waiting for the other to make a move. Jess put his hands in his pockets and watched as Rory folded her arms across her chest. He licked his lip and she bit hers. They were in a true standoff, no one saying a word. She cocked her head to the side, probably weighing her options, and he did the same with a slight smirk. She let out a silent laugh and he saw as it moved through her entire body. He took a deep breath and let it out through his clenched teeth. She was smiling now; she knew she was driving him crazy. He knew that he was doing the same to her, though. He lifted his arms above his head, stretching them and cracking his back, while his shirt inched up showing the smallest bit of his toned stomach. He watched her as her eyes traveled his body and she stepped closer letting her arms fall.

Jess let his arms fall to his side, but still didn't touch her even as she stood as close as she was. He could tell that it was getting difficult for her not to do something. He almost felt bad as she struggled with her options. Almost, but he didn't, because he was feeling the same things and, boy, was he struggling not reach out for her.

"Jess," she breathed and he looked at her face. She was almost begging with her tone, but he stood his ground. It was very weak ground at the moment, but he was sticking to his guns. "When did you become this strong?" She asked and he laughed a deep, carnal, laugh.

"When you told me you were still with Logan," he answered and her face fell. "I had to," he shrugged.

"I am really sorry about that, Jess," she told him. "I'm so sorry."

"I know you are," he said with a nod. "You asked a question and I answered it honestly. It is what it is, remember?"

She nodded sadly. "It could be something else," she told him, trying to find the words to convey what she meant. "It could be something... new."

"How?" He asked. He wasn't arguing with her and there was no anger in his voice. He just wanted to know. "With everything we've been through and everybody who thinks we were stupid for ever being together in the first place, how could it be anything but what it _is_?"

"Just two people who have loved one another in the past," she started and he let out a long breath, waiting for her to finish, "That have never slept together but always wanted to."

"What?" He asked, letting out a laugh.

"I wanted you so badly when we were together," she admitted with a smile. "I was so afraid, though. You would have been my first. If you had initiated it anywhere other than that stupid party, I would have slept with you. I've always imagined what it would be like, you and me."

"I was really upset that night," he explained. "I had just found out I wasn't graduating and I knew that meant Luke was going to kick me out."

She nodded and urged him to continue.

"I wanted you every second I was near you," he told her. "But you were my first love, Rory. You know, I was just as afraid as you were. That night I was stupid and I just wanted to get lost in you for a minute. But, oh my god, I really wanted to be your first."

"So, where does that leave us tonight?" She asked and her voice was breathy and it was killing him. He stepped closer to her and there was barely two inches between them. She looked up at him with sad eyes and he put a reassuring hand to her cheek. She held it there. "I want you... Now. More than I could have ever imagined back then."

She stood taller and planted a very chaste kiss on his lips and when she pulled away his smile reached his eyes. She was looking deep into his eyes and pulled back when he triumphantly whispered, "I win."

She gasped, but it was cut short by his kiss. It was too passionate for her to pull out of and she put her arms around his neck while he pulled her entire body into his own. He walked them to the bed and hovered over her. They only stopped kissing long enough to take off each other's shirts. He moved them so her head was on the pillow and he had a leg wedged between both of hers. He pulled away from her and looked at her. She was looking deep into his eyes and smiled.

"This is stupid," he told her. "Rory, this is so stupid."

"We're generally very bright individuals, Jess," she said, slowly taking off his pants. He watched her hands slide down his legs, but her eyes never left his face. "We're allowed to do stupid things every once in a while."

He thought about it for a second before helping her with his pants and taking off hers. Rory held his face in her hands and guided his lips back to hers. When they were finally as close as two people could physically be, he heard her moan his name and tighten her knees around his hips.

"So stupid," he laughed as he rolled over to kiss her and she laughed against his lips.

"Stupid in the best possible way, though," she said and he raised his eyebrows.

"Oh yeah?"

"Oh, yeah."

He smiled and kissed her again. He rested on his back and she rested her head on his chest. Her arm was strewn across his stomach and holding his hand. He put his other arm around her bare back, holding her to him, and kissed her forehead.

"So," she said after a few seconds of silence while she toyed with his fingers. "Just two people who used to date and never had sex, trying something new."

He could hear something in her voice; it sounded like doubt. He thought about it a second, let out a shaky breath, and said, "Yeah. If that's how you want to look at it."

"This was stupid," she said and buried her face in her hands against his chest. "That's how I thought we could look at it, but now, after doing it, there's no going back."

"Nope," he agreed and rubbed her back reassuringly. "We're really messed up now."

She sat up, pulling the sheet to cover her chest, and reached for her clothes. She looked like she was going to cry. Jess sat up too and tried reaching for her.

"Rory, stop," he said. She just shook her head and started putting on her clothes. "Please." He successfully took the shirt from her and threw it on the floor next to him. "If we're already here, we may as well take advantage of it," he said with a smile.

"Jess," she said, pushing him away slightly. "How are we so connected after everything we've been through? How do we have this affect on each other?"

"If we were together, Rory," he started and swallowed hard before continuing. "If we were together, we would be perfect. I know it. I know that you're the one for me. I've known that since I was seventeen years old. We're so connected after everything because there's no one else out there for either of us that gets us like we do. No guy knows you or understands you the way I do. There is no one out there who can keep up with your train of thought like me. I know how you think, you know how I think. I've never let anyone in like I've let you in. And it's not like I made a conscious decision, either. It just happened. Because I know that there's no one in the world I could talk to the way I do with you."

Rory stared at him, mouth dropped in amazement and he took another deep breath and sat back, waiting for her response. He could see as she thought it over, biting her lip and putting her hair behind her ears. He watched as she sat back and folded her arms across her chest, finally looking at him again.

"That's the most I've ever heard you say," she said quietly. He just shrugged and waited. "It doesn't make anything easier, though." He shook his head, still watching her.

She put a leg on either side of his lap, straddling him, and held his face in her hands. She kissed him and he reacted, kissing her in return and pulling her closer. She moved her arms so they were around his neck and he locked his arms around her waist. When she pulled her lips away from his, she tangled her fingers in his hair and looked straight into his eyes.

"No two people should feel this way about each other," she told him and he laughed. "Not after everything that has happened. We should hate each other."

"I think I've explained it to the best of my ability," he reminded her with a roll of his eyes. "We don't hate each other. I don't think we ever could."

"I don't either," she admitted. "But, Jess, it's illogical. Our whole relationship defies the odds."

"That's typically a positive thing," he said and she let out a small laugh. "But you're right. It doesn't make sense. We should know better, but we don't."

"So, what now?" She asked and he shrugged against the weight of her arms. He leaned in and kissed her softly. "We just go to sleep and figure it out later?"

"I mean," he said with a childish grin, "We don't need to _sleep._"

She laughed, but let him kiss her hard.


	4. Almost Lover

**Fourth chapter, a continuation, not a time jump. I hope you like it!**

**Read and review! I'd love know what you think!**

Rory woke up to a soft thudding sound. She couldn't place what it was or where it was coming from, so she snuggled deeper into Jess's chest and tried to fall back asleep. The thudding began again so she buried her head underneath a pillow. This time, though, the thud was followed by a woman's voice.

"Jess," it called and Rory realized who it was after the second time his name rung out. "Jess, your sister is getting restless."

Rory sat up in bed, searching for her clothes. She threw on her sweatpants and a t-shirt before turning to Jess who was happily oblivious to his mother in the hallway.

"Jess!" She whispered close to his face. He tried rolling over but she held his face. "Jess! Wake up!"

"What?!" He groaned, opening his eyes. "What it is it, Rory?" He asked, his voice softer and she smiled and kissed him softly.

"You need to go," she told him and he looked hurt for a second. All of a sudden, a louder knock was heard, this time it was on Rory's door.

"Rory?"

"Is that my mother?" Jess asked, eyes wide, and Rory nodded emphatically.

"She's looking for you," she whispered. "You need to go!"

He rushed out of bed, pulling on his sweatpants in the process and stumbled to his room. Rory took a deep breath before getting out of bed and opening her door.

"Liz?" She asked when she opened it. "Good morning."

"I'm sorry, sweetie," Liz said, holding Doula's hand. "Did I wake you up?"

"No," Rory lied. "I was just brushing my teeth. It took me a second before I heard you knocking. What's up?"

"Have you seen Jess?" She asked and Doula's attention piqued at the sound of her brother's name. "He was supposed to be at my house an hour ago to watch Doula for me. I need to go into New Haven for the day."

Just as Rory was about to answer, Jess peeked his head out of his door into the hallway. He wasn't wearing a shirt and Rory realized it was because she had accidentally put it on herself.

"Sorry," he said, looking quickly at Rory and then at his mother. "I need to take a really quick shower. I didn't mean to sleep so late. Can I meet you downstairs in ten minutes?"

"Sure," Liz smiled. "We'll be in the library. Bye Rory. We'll see you soon."

"Bye Liz," Rory smiled and she waved at Doula before they all went their own ways. Once her door was closed, Jess walked back into her room.

"So, maybe we should have gone to sleep earlier last night," he suggested, arms crossed against his bare chest.

"I'm glad we didn't," Rory said and he laughed. He let his arms fall to his sides before walking to her and hugging her to his chest. "Take a shower. You smell," she whispered and he kissed her hard.

"Nice shirt," he said before walking into his room and letting the door close behind him.

Rory smiled to herself before she went about taking her own shower. When she was clean, she put on a pair of jeans, a sweater and a pair of boots. She packed her things up, but left them on a chair in the room, and she left. While she had been getting dressed, she heard Jess shout a goodbye through the wall and heard him leave. When she got downstairs, people were mulling around; open only a few hours, and the inn was already busy. She walked into the town, straight to Luke's, where she found Lane.

"Hey," Lane said from behind the counter. "I thought you were coming in for breakfast."

"I am," Rory said with a smile. "I just woke up about forty-five minutes ago."

"Late night?" Lane asked, head cocked to the side with an accusing smile.

"Yeah," Rory said sheepishly and Lane's smile grew. She just shook her head and took Rory's order.

While Lane worked, Rory sat at the counter, eating her breakfast. Whenever Lane had a second to talk, they leaned across the counter discussing the previous night's events. Lane ooh and ahh-ed at all the appropriate times. Rory could see that she wanted to add her opinions to the story, but she held back. It took nearly an hour and a half while Lane worked, for Rory to complete the story.

"I can't believe he told you all that," Lane said once Rory had finished the story with Jess's confession. "Do you agree? Is he the one?"

"I don't know if I believe in that stuff to begin with," Rory admitted. "I don't know if there's a one for me."

"Oh, I do," Lane said. "And he may be it. He's right; there is no one who gets you like he does. I don't think even me or Lorelai can keep up with you like he can."

"You _hate_ Jess," Rory said with a laugh and Lane looked shocked, but then she accepted it.

"I _may_ have hated Jess in the past," she admitted and Rory looked on pointedly. "But only because of what he did to you. If you can forgive him, then so can I."

"If he is the one," Rory said, cringing at the word, "then I'm screwed. He lives in Philadelphia. I live in Hartford. Neither of us is going anywhere anytime soon."

"If he is the one," Lane said, and she sounded more positive, "then it doesn't matter about now. You'll end up together eventually."

"I don't know," Rory said, resting her head on her folded arms atop the counter. Lane laughed and took away Rory's dishes. She went back to work and Rory remained at the counter checking emails on her phone. She had to pick up Paul Anka to keep him for the two weeks Luke and Lorelai were on their honeymoon, but she remained at Luke's long enough for Lane to take a quick break and stand across from her again.

Lane was in the middle of telling a story about something cute the twins had done and Rory smiled and laughed through it. Lane was such a great mom and she and Zach made beautiful babies.

"Has he always been that attractive?" Lane asked suddenly, confusing Rory. Lane nodded out the window and Rory turned to see Jess carrying Doula across the street while telling her something that caused her to laugh. Rory smiled as she watched before she turned back to Lane.

"You just think he's attractive now because the maternal side of you is reacting to the fact he's carrying a toddler and he looks happy doing it," Rory accused and Lane shrugged before walking to a table and pouring coffee. Jess and Doula came into the diner and he sat on the stool next to Rory, Doula on his lap.

"Hello, Rory," he said and she looked at him and smiled shyly. "Sleep well last night?"

She could feel her cheeks burning, but she answered as Lane came back over. "I really did. What about you? How'd you sleep?"

"Best night's sleep I've had in a while," he said and she smiled.

"You guys are gross," Lane commented and Jess laughed while Rory smiled. "What can I get you to eat?"

"I'll have a burger," Jess said and he place Doula on her own stool, watching her closely so she didn't fall back. "Liz said that she can have macaroni and cheese."

"Yup," Lane answered, before handing Caesar the order. "That's all she eats. We don't have the kid friendliest menu."

"That's fine," Jess said. "I hear she likes it."

"She loves it," Rory told him and he looked at her with a smile. She smiled back and stood up. "I'm going to go get the dog. I'll be at the inn later if you want to talk."

"I'll be back around three," he said and she nodded. She brushed her hand down his arm as she walked away and out of the diner.

As she walked to her mother's house she thought of all the things she could say to Jess. She wasn't even sure how she wanted to end things with him. She had no idea if Jess was the elusive _one._All she knew was that she liked spending time with him and they had a good time together. She knew that the night before may had been stupid, but it also felt right. She knew that Jess was a constant in the back of her mind; he was the biggest what-if in her life. Rory had to admit that most of what Jess had said was true; she was never going to meet someone who understood her like he did. They had spent far more time apart than they had together, but things fell into place when he was around. He was the one, ultimately, that got her back at Yale and she was just now starting to understand why. She didn't want him to be disappointed in her and he didn't want her to be disappointed in him.

As she let herself into Lorelai's house, she noticed all of the newly opened wedding gifts in the center of the living room. She smiled as she walked past them and into the kitchen. She peeked into her room and saw Paul Anka asleep on the bed and she continued on to the table. She found a note from Lorelai addressed to her.

_Hi Rory! I packed all of the things he'll need and left the bag on the couch. It might be covered by wrapping paper, but it's in there. I'm going to call you later once we land. I want to hear about the rest of your night! I hope everyone behaved!_

_Also, Paul Anka might put up a fight when you try to get him to leave. He's very attached to the house. Just give him a treat, though, and he'll go with you in a second. His leash is hanging by the door._

_I love you!_

_-Lorelai Gilmore-Danes!_

Rory smiled and left the note on the table. She dug through a mountain of wrapping paper on the couch, surprised Luke had left it there, and found the bag of Paul Anka's things. She put it on her shoulder and threw the paper away, saving them a mess when they got back. She found the leash and walked into her room, effectively waking Paul Anka up. When she put the leash onto his collar, he started to whimper; he did not want to go outside. She tried pulling him off the bed, but he wouldn't budge. She ran to the kitchen, found his treats and before she could even get back to the room, he was at her side, yearning for the treat in her hand.

"Come on," she coaxed. She grabbed the leash and held the treat out in front of her as he followed along, Once they were outside and off of the porch, she let him eat it and he happily walked with her back to the inn.

"No," Michel said as Rory and Paul Anka walked into the inn. "No. He is not allowed in here."

"Michel," Rory said. "We're going straight to my room. He'll be quiet and I won't let him on the bed."

"No," he said again.

"Michel! He's an innocent dog!"

"No, I'm sorry, but no."

"Michel, I know that you sneak your dogs in here," Rory said as Paul Anka sat down next to her. "I've seen them and I've never told a soul. Just pretend like you didn't see us and I'll keep pretending I don't see yours."

"Fine," he said, defeated. "At least I hide them," he muttered and Rory smiled triumphantly as she pulled Paul Anka to stand.

When they got to her room, she kicked off her boots, filled his bowl full of water, and sat on the bed. As he licked his bowl empty, she flipped through the channels until she landed on a showing of _Almost Famous_ and she smiled. Eventually, Paul Anka joined her on the bed, lying across the bottom, and she let him despite what she had promised Michel. She could hear people bustling around the hallways and up and down the stairs over the sound of the TV. She heard Paul Anka yawn and when she looked at him he was asleep. All he seemed to do was sleep.

Toward the end of the movie, she heard a door close and she thought it was Jess. When she looked at the clock on the bedside table, she noticed it was after 3, and she knew it was Jess. He knocked lightly on their shared door before poking his head in.

"Hey," he said and she smiled up at him. He walked into the room and sat next to her on the bed. "My favorite," he said when he noticed what was on the television.

She let her head fall on his shoulder and he put his arm across hers and kissed the top of her head. They watched the last ten minutes of the movie holding each other and she turned off the TV as the credits rolled.

"So," he said, drawing out the word as he ran his hand up and down her arm.

"So," she mimicked with a sad laugh.

"I'm going to say something," he decided. "I'm not going to enjoy saying it, but it needs to be said."

"Okay," she said, expecting the worst. She waited and he never let go of her which surprised her. If he was going to say something that would forever change the course of their relationship, she expected him to, at least, not torture her with his touch while he did so.

"I meant everything I said last night," Jess said quietly. "I meant it and I believe it."

"I know," Rory said, nodding against his shoulder.

"Good," he nodded. "But, right now, you and I, we can't work. You're in school here and working here. I'm in Philly, happy and working. I have a lot of people that depend on me."

"Long distance relationships don't work," she agreed and he let out a deep breath, but tightened his hold on her. "If you believe what you said, are we supposed to wait around until we find each other when the timing is right? Are we just on hold?"

"I don't know," he said with a laugh. "I think we have to continue living our lives as we normally would."

"And forget this happened?" She asked, looking up at him and he shook his head hard.

"No, Rory," he told her. "This happened and I don't want to forget that. I'm just saying, I think, that we'll be seeing each other, you know? In a few months I'll be back in the area on my book tour. I'll be around for holidays now that Luke and Lorelai see you and I can stand to be in the same room without killing each other. And, who knows, maybe we'll end up at another stranger's wedding sometime down the road."

She laughed, leaned in, and kissed him softly.

"This is so weird," she told him and he nodded. "Jess, I- I think you may be right - about you and me and our destiny-"

"I never said the word destiny," he interrupted with a cringe and she ignored him.

"And I know that you're right about us now," she said. "The timing is off and we can't start something so big if we're hundreds of miles apart. And there's no way for either of us to do anything about the distance now. If it is meant to be, you and me, it will... be."

"Exactly," he said and kissed her again, putting both arms around her slight body. "And when we do happen to be in the same place and if we're both single, then there's no reason this can't happen again."

She laughed and kissed him. "You're right," she said with a shrug. "There's absolutely no reason."

"Don't feel like you have to wait for me," he said as he absently played with the ends of her hair. "I don't want to you to do that."

"I don't want you to, either," she told him. "If you find someone who could be the one, be with her. Do not wait for me, Jess."

"Okay," he agreed and she could hear the pain in his voice. "I know that won't happen, but okay."

"Okay," she said and he brushed her hair out of her face and kissed her. "This is a very adult thing you and I are doing right now."

"Being an adult sucks," he laughed and she smiled.

It was nearing the time where they would actually have to part ways. Jess was staying at the inn one more night, but Rory had to get back to her apartment and finish a piece she was writing for the _Stamford-Eagle Gazette _that was due on Tuesday. And since she only wrote a few pieces a month for them while she was teaching and in school, she needed them all to be perfect. However, she continued lying in bed, around Jess's body, while he drifted silently to sleep.

She fell asleep, too, and when she woke up, he was behind her, holding her against his chest and their legs were tangled together. She smiled at the sensation and looked up to see Paul Anka lying on the floor on his back with his feet in the air. She laughed silently and looked at the clock. It was after six and they had been asleep for over two hours. She whined and pulled herself out of Jess's grasp, turning around to face him. She had turned in time to see him twitch in his sleep and she leaned in and kissed him softly. She smiled when she felt him kiss back.

"Don't," he said, when she finally pulled her face from his. He reached for her hips, and pulled her closer to him. "Don't leave."

"I have to," she told him and he shook his head as if that could convince her to stay. She smiled a sad smile and rested her forehead against his. "I've got to finish an article, Jess. I have to go to work in the morning. I can't stay in Stars Hollow."

"So, this is it then," he said and let out a breath. "This is how it ends."

"Don't sound so ominous," she laughed. "We'll see each other soon. I'm sure of it."

"Whatever you say," he said with a roll of his eyes. "You should go, I guess. I've got to go to my mom's for dinner anyway."

"Okay," she said, drawing the word out as neither made a move. He held onto her hips and she kissed his nose with a smile. They just watched each other until Paul Anka woke up and barked. "Okay," she said with finality and they both pulled away from each other, sitting with their feet on the floor and their backs to each other.

She stood up first and went to her bag on the seat. On top was the shirt she had accidentally put on that morning that belonged to Jess. She folded it nicely and turned to find him standing behind her.

"Yours," she said simply, holding it out for him to take. He just shook his head and kissed her.

"Looks better on you," he told her and she smiled. "Goodbye, Rory."

"Bye, Jess," she said and he kissed her softly, holding her face, before letting go and walking into his room.

She stuffed his shirt into her bag, packed up Paul Anka's things, and left with a bag on each shoulder. She didn't stop in his room to day another goodbye; there was no point. This was where it had to end, at least for now. If they were meant to be, as he so vehemently believed, they would be. She was starting to believe it to as she drove away from the inn, Paul Anka beside her, and tears threatening to fall.


	5. Long Time No See

**Fifth Chapter. This is about two and a half years after Luke and Lorelai's wedding weekend. **

**A lot of time has passed. But have things changed? I don't know... You gotta keep reading!**

Jess was casually walking through his favorite record store in New York, killing time before a meeting with one of his authors. He had stopped to flick through a section of Clash albums and when he looked up he found himself face-to-face with Rory Gilmore. She was smiling at him and had her hands on her hips. She was wearing a sundress that fell just above her knees and she radiated summertime with her hair in a tight ponytail. He felt himself smile and nodded at her.

"Hi," he said, letting out a laugh.

"Hi," she said and he watched as she watched as she walked around the display so they were in the same aisle. "Fancy seeing you here."

"I could say the same," he told her. "What are you doing here?"

"Here in New York or here in the record store?" She asked, crossing her arms across her chest.

"Both," he said and he mirrored her posture.

"I live here," she told him incredulously. "No one told you?"

"No one told me," he said and he shook his head. "When?"

"I've lived here for six months," she told him. "What are you doing here? Book tour?"

"We relocated," he said with a single laugh. "We moved to New York a year ago."

"You're kidding?" She asked and he just shook his head. "How did no one tell me that?"

"No idea," he said, shaking his head. "No one told me about you."

"That's so weird."

He shrugged and changed the subject. They began talking about Rory and her new job. She was working at the New York Times; she was still pretty low on the totem pole, but she didn't mind. She was living with Paris, who had started her residency three months earlier, in an apartment her father bought after his huge inheritance had kicked in. She asked Jess about Truncheon and why they decided to relocate and he told her how much he missed home. One of his business partners had gotten married and he and his wife wanted to move, Jess wanted to move, and they found a great space for an even better price and everyone fell on board. They had this whole conversation standing in the middle of the record store where people had to keep walking around them, but they didn't seem to mind.

Jess noticed that neither he nor Rory made any move closer to the other. They hadn't seen each other since Jess's second book was released and they had spent the entire weekend in Rory's apartment aside from his two appearances in Hartford.

"You weren't at Christmas last year," Jess accused and Rory smiled and shrugged.

"I celebrated early with mom and Luke," she told him. "I moved here two days before Christmas, so we exchanged gifts the week before. I didn't even know you went!"

"I did," he told her.

"Well, you weren't there the year before," she said with a pointed look.

"I went to California and spent it with my father," he told her and she smiled again. He glanced quickly at his watch and his face fell. "I've got to get going. I have a lunch meeting in, like, seven minutes."

"Okay," she said. "It was, uh, good to see you. Maybe I'll run into you at a hot dog stand next."

"How about we run into each other at dinner," he said and he surprised even himself as it came out of his mouth so easily. "Tonight?"

He watched as her face fell and, right then, he was convinced she was seeing someone. "I can't," she told him and he nodded, letting out a breath. "Paris is very serious about her time off and I promised her we'd get dinner and see a movie. She works like a dog and she needs the night."

"That's fine," he told her with an easy smile.

"There's a diner near my apartment," she said quickly. "Their breakfast is almost good enough to compare to Luke's. Do you want to meet for breakfast tomorrow? At 10?"

"Sure," he said and she smiled a bright smile that made her eyes look even bluer than normal. She hastily wrote her address on the back of a receipt she had in her purse and handed it to him. "See you tomorrow."

"Bye Jess," she said and he wasn't sure how to leave her; was a hug too much? Before he could make a move, though, she kissed him lightly on the cheek and smiled. He waved and walked away, out to the street, only looking back once to find her looking right at him.

His meeting lasted almost two hours longer than he had expected. It was a good thing Rory said no to dinner; he probably would have had to cancel anyway. When he got back to his apartment, his roommates and business partners were sitting around the living room watching TV and drinking beer. He joined them and when they all asked him why he looked so happy, he just shrugged, took a sip of his beer, and ignored the looks they were giving him. He felt his phone vibrate in his pocket and saw Luke's name flash on the screen, so he excused himself and went to his room to answer the call.

"Hey," he said sitting on his bed. "How are you?"

"Good, good," Luke answered and Jess noticed apprehension in his voice. "Uh, so, Rory just called and said that she ran into you. Small world, huh?"

"Yeah," Jess said, rolling his eyes even though Luke couldn't see him. "Why didn't I know she lived here? Why didn't' she know about me?"

"Well," Luke said, taking a deep breath. "Jess, no one was really sure how things ended with you two at the wedding. She wouldn't tell Lorelai so we all kind of assumed it ended badly."

"It didn't, Luke," Jess said. "It ended the way it had to. You know, we saw each other during my book tour. I stayed with her that weekend."

"All I know, Jess," Luke started and Jess could envision him at the diner in the dark, pacing back and forth behind the counter, "Is what you and Rory tell us. If neither of you are telling us anything, then there's no way to know how things are. You two aren't really the poster children for happy endings; we wanted to protect both of you."

"Even if things had ended badly," Jess said through clenched teeth before relaxing, "wouldn't you want to give us a heads up? Hey, Jess, your ex-girlfriend is moving to the same city, you might want to keep an eye out so you can avoid her at all costs?"

"I didn't think of that," he said. "I think, I just figured that New York is big enough for you two to avoid each other. I don't know. So, things are good between you, then?"

"They're fine, Luke," Jess told him and he lay back on his bed, exhausted all of a sudden. "Everything is fine. We're getting breakfast together tomorrow."

"Good," Luke said and Jess could just see him nodding along. "That's good. Well, I'm sorry I never told you. Now you know."

"Is there anything else I should know? About her?" Jess asked. He wasn't quite sure why he was asking, but he wanted an answer.

"Not that I can think of," Luke said and Jess nodded to himself. They said their goodbyes and hung up.

Jess didn't rejoin his roommates in the living room; he stayed in his room and continued working on his third book. This one was different; it was a book of short stories that centered around six different people and, in the end, you find out how all the stories and all the people relate to each other. It was a challenge, but he enjoyed working through it.

When he woke up the next morning, he showered and got dressed quickly in a pair of jeans and a red v-neck t-shirt. His roommates were all still sleeping since Truncheon was closed on Sundays. He tiptoed out of the apartment because one of the guys had fallen asleep on the couch in his typical Saturday night fashion.

Jess walked to Rory's apartment and saw her standing outside joking with the doorman. He smiled as he watched her tell a story and the doorman politely laughed. She was wearing jean shorts and a Yale t-shirt, so casual, yet Jess thought she looked even more amazing than she did at her mother's wedding. When she finished her story, she looked up and smiled at him. He waved, and pushed his aviator sunglasses to sit on top of his head as she walked over, calling a goodbye to Stu, the doorman.

"Good morning," she said brightly. "Are you hungry?"

"Starved," he answered and she smiled. She nodded in the direction they needed to head and he followed her four blocks until they reached the diner.

"I talked to my mom last night," she said when they sat down with menus being thrusted in their faces by the waitress.

"I talked to Luke," Jess told her and she shook her head with a laugh. "Apparently they thought not telling us about each other was for our protection."

"That's what I hear," she said, closing her menu. "I don't know, though. I think I'm happy it was a surprise."

"Yeah?" He asked, smirking, and closed his own menu and put it on top of hers.

"Yeah," Rory answered. The waitress came over, poured their coffees and took their orders before walking away without so much as a smile. "I feel like every time I see you it's a surprise. It's good to keep up the tradition."

"I did find it strange that no one mentioned you over Christmas," Jess told her. "I mean, no one said a word about you."

"Well, me not telling my mother that you and I, uh, slept together," she said with a bright red face, "was reason enough for the entire town to think we hated each other."

"Who knew keeping your personal life personal was so taboo?" Jess asked and Rory shrugged with a laugh. "This is strange. Rory Gilmore in New York City. Oh, I'm sorry; you call it the Big Apple."

"No," she insisted. "I'm not an out-of-towner anymore. I live here. I live in New York City... Which is kind of strange."

"I've always been able to picture you here," he told her. "I think you were born to live in a big city, working for a huge publication."

"Maybe," she said. Jess watched as Rory rested her chin on her fist and looked at him. "You definitely belong here. This is really home for you."

"It feels good to be back," he admitted. "You know, I only live, like, twelve blocks from you. I could have walked by you every day for the past six months and not known."

"I know," Rory said. "God, I could have bumped into you a hundred times. And of course it happened at that record store."

"Right?" He laughed. "Are you happy here?" He asked suddenly and she sat back, taking a deep breath. He did the same thing, watching her think about it.

"I really am," she answered finally and they both smiled together. "I love my job, I love living in the city. I mean, Jess, I can get any kind of food at any time of day... or night. It's heaven for a Gilmore."

Just then the food was delivered and their coffees were refilled. They continued talking throughout breakfast. She told him all about her job and he told her about his new book. She asked question after question once he told her he had started a new one and he tried his best to keep up with them all. He laughed at her stories about her first months in New York and he was amazed at how many times she got lost on the subway. She listened intently when he told her about his friends and business partners.

He was happy to see that they were getting along well without many awkward moments. He was pleased that she could be comfortable around him despite their past. The night before, he was sure that she would feel uncomfortable with the way they had left things the last time they saw each other and slept together. When he stayed with her that weekend, they ended things the same way as when they ended things at Luke and Lorelai's wedding. The time between the book tour and the present, though, was the one of the longest they had gone without seeing or speaking to each other since they met. He was sure there was no way to jump back to the moment, to that weekend.

Now the pressure was on, too. If she was single, as he was, they would have to remember what he said. If they started things, that was it, he would be in it for the long haul. And if she didn't feel the same way as she did two and a half years ago, he couldn't torture himself by spending any more time with her. Which is why he hadn't asked her any personal questions yet. He didn't want to know if she was seeing someone or if she wanted to be with him. He didn't want to hear that, yes, she was in a happy relationship with some great guy and that, no, she didn't want to be with him. He couldn't bare that just yet.

"Hey, Jess," Rory said after a pause in the conversation as they both finished their breakfasts. He looked up from his plate and threw down his napkin, waiting for her to finish. "What are your plans for the rest of the day?"

"No plans," he answered and he noticed she looked almost nervous suddenly. "Why?"

"Well," she said, taking a deep breath. "I could use your help with something. But do not feel obligated to say yes."

"Deal," he said, sitting back in his chair. "What do you need help with?"

"Well, you see," she started and he looked on, amused. "One of my neighbors is getting rid of a bookcase and he asked around the building to see if anyone needed one. I do, desperately, so he's giving it to me for free. He's an older guy, though, and can't lift things that are too heavy. So, he said I could have it as long as I could get it up the four floors to my apartment. I remember, um, that you are strong - a very strong man - and I wondered if, as a very strong man, you'd like to help me move it."

"Wow," he said, shaking his head and he watched as her face fell. "We haven't seen each other in two years and you ask me out to breakfast just to butter me up. Wow, Gilmore, I didn't see that coming."

"Jess!" She cried, leaning across the table. "That's not why I asked you to breakfast! I would never do that. I did it because I was so happy to bump into you and I wanted to catch up. I would never-"

"Rory," he interrupted, laughing. "I was kidding. Jeez. I'll help you."

"Thank you," she said sitting back with a huff. "Your sarcasm is very convincing."

"Thank you," he said with a smile. "Ready?" He asked, picking up the check that the waitress had dropped off while they were still eating; she was real friendly.

"Yes, but you're not paying," she told him, grabbing the check from his hand and pulling out money from her back pocket. "Consider it payment for helping move the bookcase."

"Rory," Jess said, reaching to grab it again, but she crumpled it in her hand and practically ran to the counter to pay.

He just shook his head as he watched her pay. Together they walked back to her apartment building and took the elevator to the sixth floor. He followed her down the hall to a blue door where she knocked quietly. A man answered who looked to be in his mid-sixties and as they followed him to his living room Jess noticed a limp. He really wouldn't have been able to help her move it.

He and Rory lifted it out to the elevator with no problem, but once they got to the tenth floor where Rory's apartment was, she tripped causing the whole bookcase to fall. Thankfully, Jess moved out of the way in time and it didn't fall on him. He stood back, arms crossed against his chest and took a deep breath.

"I'm so sorry," Rory said and when he looked at her, she was trying very hard not to laugh. When she looked at him, though, she couldn't help it and she burst. "Jess, I am so sorry. I don't know why I'm laughing. I'm sorry."

He tried not to, but he couldn't resist smiling. He shook his head and got serious again.

"Okay," he said, uncrossing his arms. He pushed the case to stand again and Rory controlled her laughing.

"Okay," she said seriously. "I'm at the end of the hall, the very last on the right."

"Be careful," he said and she nodded. They got it to the end of the hall and she unlocked and opened her door. "Where are we putting it?" He asked as he looked around the apartment. It was huge.

"Between those two windows," she told him. "Please."

They moved it across the living room and rested it against the wall, fitting it perfectly between two windows that looked out onto Washington Square Park.

"Nice place," he said finally, taking another look around.

"Thank god for my loaded father, right?" She asked with a laugh. "Do you want anything to drink?"

"No thanks," he answered.

He watched as she looked around her own apartment. He couldn't tell for sure, but she seemed uncomfortable. He was definitely feeling uncomfortable. He felt all of his feelings come back to him every time she laughed or smiled or even just looked at him. He felt so weak around her, like he could break at the slightest touch. He hated feeling that way, but he loved it at the same time. She was the only person who could do it to him.

She went to the kitchen and pulled out water for herself. She drank out of it and offered it to him and he shook his head with a smile.

"So," she said, tightening the cap and sitting down on her couch. "This is when it gets awkward."

He laughed and sat on the other end of the couch. "I guess so," he said.

"What are you doing tomorrow night?" She asked suddenly and he shrugged.

"I'm working until six and then I'm free," he answered. "Why?"

"We'll get drinks," she told him. "I don't know many people here, you know? Paris is always working and I get pretty damn lonely. So... drinks tomorrow night?"

"How's 7:30?" He asked and watched as she smiled.

"Perfect," she answered. "I'll meet you at your place?"

"Yeah," he said and he pulled a business card out of his wallet. "That's my cell and Truncheon's address. I live right down the street, so call me when you're there and I'll come down and meet you."

"Great," she said as she put it on her coffee table. He stood up and she watched. "That doesn't mean you need to go, though."

"I should," he said. "It's my weekend to clean the apartment and I just have not done it yet. You don't want to know what a place can look like with four guys living in it."

"Ew, no I don't," she said. "I'll see you tomorrow night, then."

"Bye Rory," he said and he walked out to the hallway and rode the elevator down to the lobby. When he got back to his apartment, only one of his roommates was home.

"Where did you sneak out to this morning?" Matthew asked. "You got a new girlfriend?"

"No," Jess answered, sitting in the armchair. He swung his legs over the arm and rested his head on the other, toward the TV.

"What's going on with you? You come home yesterday all glowy and today- today you're different too. There's gotta be a girl, Jess."

"Just a friend, Matty," he insisted.

"You don't have friends outside of Truncheon," he accused and Jess looked at him. "What? You don't. Neither do I."

"It's an old friend," he said, smiling to himself. "I've known her since high school."

"High school in New York or high school in that little hick town you lived in with Luke?"

"Stars Hollow," Jess said. "What does it matter?"

"You hated everyone in Stars Hollow," Matthew accused. "Except for your ex-girlfriend who I've always suspected you still secretly love."

"Drop it, Matt," Jess said as he stood up from the chair. "She's just a friend."

"You can't be friends with her."

"Watch me," he said. With that he walked to the kitchen and started to clean. Matthew followed him and sat down at the table.

"Didn't you sleep with her the last time you saw her?" Matthew asked and Jess nodded.

"Listen, Matthew, Rory and I have a lot of history. We just ran into each other yesterday and she doesn't have friends in the city. I'm being her friend. If things happen between us, then we go from there. If they don't, they don't."

"If they don't, you end up crushed."

"I'm a big boy."

"Do you still have feelings for her?"

"Oh, yeah," Jess answered truthfully with a laugh. "I always will. We kind of agreed that when the timing is right, we'd try again."

"Is the timing right?"

"For the first time in a long time we're in the exact same place at the same time," he said. "I think it might be. I want her to make that move, though. I'm happily oblivious to her personal life; I'll be her friend until it's too much. And if it gets too much and she doesn't want to be with me, then I will cut all ties. Right now, though, I'm fine with being friends and living in the dark. Too much too soon could ruin everything."


	6. Movie Night

**Sixth chapter. This is the PENULTIMATE CHAPTER. **

**I hope you like it...**

"Hey, Paris," Rory said when she got home from work and found Paris reading on the couch. "How's it going?"

"I hate working nights," she complained. "It throws my whole schedule off."

"I'm sorry," Rory told her as she sat down on the couch next to her.

"When is your boyfriend coming over?" Paris asked and Rory rolled her eyes and rested back on the couch.

"Paris, for the thousandth time, he is not my boyfriend," she said, emphasizing the last five words.

"But you want him to be," Paris accused. "If you didn't have feelings for him you wouldn't be spending so much of your time with him."

"Jess and I are just friends, Paris."

"You and Jess have spent every free minute together since you ran into him a month ago. You and Jess are afraid of admitting your feelings for each other."

"What are you talking about?" Rory asked, now interested in wherever Paris was going.

"Rory," she started, and Rory watched her, waiting for her to continue. "I remember when you told me about everything that happened the weekend of your mother's wedding. I remember what he said to you. He is hell bent on believing that you two are going to end up together."

"That was two years ago," Rory said quietly.

"Have either of you brought it up in the past month?" Paris asked and Rory shook her head no. "Because you know that once you do, Jess is going to be fully committed to you. And you're afraid of that. You don't want to lose him, so you're not telling him how you feel because you might screw it up later."

"Do you really think that?" Rory asked, crossing her arms and Paris just nodded her head and rested her book on the coffee table. "I am really happy with how things are with us. We're really good friends."

"You're not as good of friends as you think you are," Paris said with a sharp laugh. "You're both in love with each other and hiding it. You're using your friendship as a cop out."

"Both of us?"

"He's in love with you, Gilmore. He always has been," Paris said and Rory took a deep breath. "Even I can see that."

"We're not going to assume that," Rory said. "I'm going to have a glass of wine. You?"

"I have to leave for work in an hour," Paris reminded her.

Rory shook her head, stood up, and walked to the kitchen. Once she had poured herself a glass of wine, she sat on her kitchen counter and kicked off her heels. She sat alone while Paris continued reading in the living room. She and Paris had had many variations of that conversation since she and Jess started hanging out. As far as Rory was concerned, they were just friends. They hadn't even touched each other since she kissed him on the cheek that first day they ran into each other at the record store. They'd been having dinner and drinks with each other, she had met his friends, he had come over for movie nights with Paris. It was all casual.

She was having a lot of fun with him, though. They had always gotten along really well, and he was so much more open as an adult. They could talk for hours about nothing of importance; they'd actually done that once or twice. They laughed a lot, more than she had ever heard him laugh before. He was funny and she hung on his every word when he told a story.

Rory sat in the kitchen, kicking her legs back and forth, and thinking about it all. Did he love her? Really? He hadn't made any moves on her. She hadn't made any on him either. Did she want to be with Jess? Was she afraid? She heard the buzzer ring and she knew it was Jess, but she let Paris answer it.

When the knock finally came, she leaned to her left enough to see Paris answer it.

"Coffee," Jess said, handing it to her. "Rory told me you were working the night shift."

"Do you want to trade apartments with her?" Paris asked. "She just brings me newspapers."

"And she just brings me band aids!" Rory accused, hopping off of the counter and joining them in the living room.

"I'm good where I'm at," he answered with a laugh. And Paris shrugged and walked back to the couch. "Already drinking, Rory? It's a little early."

"Not when you live with this one," Rory told him. "Want a glass?"

"Sure," he shrugged and they walked into the kitchen. They both sat on the counter, on either side of the sink, and she folded her legs to sit Indian style and turned to face him while he poured himself a glass.

"Good, right?" She asked as he took his first sip and he nodded.

"So," Jess said, mirroring her perfectly. "Friday night. What do you feel like doing?"

"How do you feel about this?" Rory asked. "Wine. I'm good with wine."

"Movie?" He asked, with a small shrug. "Here, while we drink wine," he clarified quickly.

"Wine and a movie," she said, testing it out. "That sounds like everything I love."

"Yeah," he said, and she thought she heard sadness in his voice. "Me too."

"How's the new book coming?" She asked, changing the subject and Jess told her about his newest, and last, story of the book. She listened to him talk and he was so happy talking about it. It's like everything fell away when he started talking about his work. They sat on the kitchen counter, drinking wine and talking about work, until they heard Paris call out a goodbye.

"What movie do you want to watch?" Jess asked, sliding off the counter.

"I don't know," Rory told him, and she slid off as well. "Why don't you go choose the movie while I order pizza?"

"Fair enough," he said before leaving her in the kitchen.

She picked up her phone and ordered the pizza. While she was talking, though, she heard Jess swear loudly in the next room. She found him, while she was waiting for her total, with his light blue shirt covered in his red wine. She had to bite her bottom lip to stop from laughing. He looked up at her and shook his head.

"Thank you," she said to the pizza place when they told her the final total and then she hung up. "I'll grab a shirt for you. Throw that in the laundry room and I'll clean it with my stuff tomorrow."

"Thanks," he said as she walked away and as she turned into her bedroom she was able to see him pull it over his head.

While she rifled through her dresser, looking for a shirt that would actually fit him, he rested against her doorframe with his arms crossed against his chest. She found a gray t-shirt with her pajamas that looked like it would be large enough and turned around to throw it at him.

He caught it and she saw him turn it over in his hands and raise his eyebrows.

"What's wrong?" She asked and she watched as he finally unfolded it and put it on.

"Nothing," he said with a smirk before turning around and leaving her room. She watched him leave, completely confused, and then shut her door so she could get changed out of her work clothes.

She put on a pair of yoga pants and a tank top and left her room to find Jess still looking at her DVDs.

"How did you spill that wine, by the way?" She asked as she sat in the middle of the couch and let her feet sit atop her coffee table.

He turned to look at her quickly and then shook his head. "I tripped over the coffee table," he answered quietly.

"You do that a lot," Rory laughed and Jess shot her a look. "I'm sorry, but you do."

"I hate that table," he told her as he stood up from in front of the DVDs. "_Goodfellas_?"

"Great."

She watched him walk around her living room to put the DVD into the player, and he looked so comfortable there. He never acted like a guest when he was over, which Rory actually liked. She hated having to play host, and Jess made it easy. They had only been hanging out for a month, but he was completely fine getting his own drink or snacks out of her kitchen. He knew his way around the apartment and he knew exactly where he should and shouldn't be. It wasn't the same for her when it came to his place, though. He had a lot more roommates and she hadn't spent a great deal of time there. He had noticed it right away and was always the first to offer her something so didn't have to ask. She was grateful for that.

He sat down next to her on the couch, in the far corner, and put his own feet on the coffee table next to hers. "When will the food be here?" He asked as he started the movie.

"Twenty minutes," she told him. "Do you want more wine?"

"Sure," he said and got up before she could do it herself. She was offering, but he was willing to do it himself. He brought the rest of the bottle in along with her glass she had left on the counter.

"Thank you," she said when he handed her the newly filled glass. "I was offering. You didn't have to do that."

He just shrugged and sat back down next to her. They watched the movie in silence, but she found herself watching him. She was concerned all of a sudden that this was all their relationship was going to be. She was starting to wonder if they were destined to be two people that spent a lot of time together and that was it. Yeah, they were friends, but she wanted him in her life as more than that. She was just starting to realize how true everything Paris had said was. She had no idea about Jess, though. As open as he was about his work and his life, he had not mentioned or insinuated anything about still having feelings for her. She couldn't just ask him. What if he said no? Then they wouldn't even be able to be friends any more.

Rory's thoughts were interrupted by the buzzer and she stood up automatically. She let the pizza guy in and waited in her open doorway.

"Have a good night," she said, as she handed him the money. She watched Jess walk into the kitchen and come back out with two plates and napkins. "Thanks," she told him and he smiled as they both walked to the couch and put their things down on the table.

"Is this the good place or the cheap place?" he asked as she opened the box.

"It's the good place," she answered with a laugh. "I promised you I wouldn't order from the cheap place ever again. I remember how gross that pizza was."

"It was the worst thing I've ever eaten," he said with a cringe.

She sat down in the opposite corner of the couch and sat with her legs on the middle cushion between her and Jess. They sat watching the movie and eating the pizza to the point of there being two pieces left. When he put his plate down next to the box, she picked it up and carried it with hers and the pizza box to the kitchen. She put the dishes in the sink, threw the used napkins away, and wrapped the pizza to put it in the fridge.

When she went back to sit on the couch, she rested her head against the armrest and rested her feet along the back of the couch. Jess looked at her feet, which were resting next to his face, and pulled them down to rest in his lap.

"Too close to your hair?" Rory asked with a smile and he shook his head.

"Too close to my nose," he told her and she kicked him softly in the stomach with the side of her foot. They both laughed, but Rory noted how her feet on his lap was the most they'd touched since they started hanging out. She watched him watch the movie some more and either he didn't see her staring or he ignored it.

When the movie ended, she swung her feet off of his lap and got up to put the DVD away. She saw Jess rub his face with a yawn. "_The Departed?_" He asked as he sat back against the couch.

"Are you sure?" She asked, pulling it out. "You look like you're about to fall asleep."

"I'm sure," he said. "I'm just a little exhausted. It was a long day."

"Okay," she said and she put it into the DVD player. When she turned to join him back on the couch, she walked into the coffee table and fell back onto the floor. "OH MY GOD!"

She grabbed her shin and pulled her leg to her chest as she rocked back and forth.

"Not so funny now, is it?" Jess asked, trying not to laugh from his spot on the couch.

"Oh my god!" She wailed again. "Jess, this is the worst pain I've ever felt. Oh my god!"

"Okay, okay," he said and he stood up. He stood behind her and pulled her up to stand. "Are you all right?" He asked and he was definitely laughing now. She turned around and hit him in the chest.

She went to walk around him, but the pain in her leg caused her to fall into his chest. Luckily, he caught her in time to save them both from falling. He held on to her and sat them both down on the couch.

"Let me see your leg," he said and she put it across his lap for him to see. He rolled up her pant leg and she saw the scrape that the table caused. She lay back on the couch and he pulled her to sit up so they were face to face. She noticed him put his arm around her back to keep her that way. "There's no blood, but are you all right?"

"It was the kind of pain that shot through my entire leg," she explained. "And now the whole thing tingles. But just that one spot hurts."

"Okay," he said smiling. "You'll be fine."

"Why don't you ever act like you get hurt when you walk into it?" She asked, resting her forehead on his shoulder. "It hurts so badly."

She felt him tighten his grip on her, but she also heard him laugh. "I've never hit it that hard," he told her. "Just hard enough to trip."

"Well, lucky you," she said.

"God, I do not want to see you when you have a baby," he laughed and she smiled into his shoulder. She looked up at him.

He was looking down at her, smiling, and she smiled softly back. Then, all of a sudden, she felt things change. He pulled his arm away from her and put his hand on his lap as far from her leg as possible. She immediately pulled her legs away from him and put them to rest on the coffee table again. He started the movie and poured himself another glass of wine. When he offered the bottle to her she just shook her head and he put it back down.

Rory woke up the next morning and she felt a hand running up and down her arm. It took her a second to realize that she was lying on top of Jess and that it was his hand on her arm. She took a deep breath before looking up at him.

"Why didn't you wake me up?" She asked and he shrugged. She felt his hand stop moving, but it remained on her, so she didn't make a move to get off of him. "I am physically on top of you."

"I've woken up in worse positions," he told her and she laughed. She yawned and rested her head on his chest again.

"This is your shirt," she said, remembering suddenly as her head hit it. She ran her hand across his chest and looked up at him again to find him smiling. "That's why you were looking at it like that last night."

"Yeah," he said and he let out a single laugh.

"I was wondering where I got it and why I had it," she told him and he shrugged.

"It looked better on you," he reminded her and she smiled at the very distant memory; a memory that she never let herself think of when he was near her. She felt him let go of her and she got off of him to sit on the opposite end of the couch. He ran his hands over his face and through his hair.

"Do you want some coffee?" She asked with a yawn.

"No, I think I'm going to head home," he answered with a smile. "Thanks, though. And thanks for last night. It was fun."

"It was," she agreed as he stood up to put on his shoes.

"Be careful on your leg," he reminded her as he opened the door to leave.

"Thanks," she said.

"I'll call you this week," he told her. "We'll get drinks or something."

"Great," she smiled. "Bye Jess."

"Goodbye Rory," he said and then he was gone.

She stood up and felt the pain in her leg before shaking it off and taking a shower. When she got out of the shower, she dressed in a pair of cotton shorts and a t-shirt. She started her laundry, with Jess's wine soaked shirt. Paris came home and went straight to her bedroom to sleep without so much as a good morning. Rory started a pot of coffee and heard her phone ringing from her bedroom where she had plugged it in to charge. It was Logan.

"Hey," she answered casually. "How are you?"

"I'm good, Ace. I'm in New York City with the family actually," he told her. He had called the week before when he was in Hartford and she told him about the move to New York City. They hadn't seen each other much since they broke up, but they were still friendly. "I was just wondering if I could stop by and say hi. It's been awhile."

"Yeah, of course," she answered. "That would be great."

She gave him her address and they hung up. She drank her coffee, cleaned the apartment, and finished her laundry. As she started folding it, she heard her buzzer and she answered it to let Logan in.

"Hi!" She said and he hugged her. She let him into the apartment. "I'm sorry about the laundry. I wasn't sure when you'd be here."

"Don't worry about it, Ace," he said and she cleared the laundry off of the couch and put it into the basket again. "How have you been?"

"So busy," Rory said, with a smile and shake of the head. "But I love it."

"I bet you do."

"How's Missy? How's the baby?"

"They're both good," he told her, handing her his phone to show a picture.

"He's not a baby anymore," she said. "Great looking family, though."

"Thanks," he said and he couldn't contain his smile.

They caught up over the next hour. They talked about their jobs and their families. They talked about California and New York. They were clearly better off apart, but Rory was still happy to see him. And she was even happier to see him doing so well for himself. Logan was happy and married and a father, he worked doing a job he enjoyed, and he loved every minute of it all.

All of a sudden, they heard a phone ringing.

"Are you going to answer that?" Logan asked and Rory shook her head.

"That is not my ringtone," Rory said. "Where is that even coming from?"

She watched as Logan fished the ringing phone out from the cushions. "Paris's?" He asked, handing it to her.

"No," she shook her head and when she looked at it, she saw Luke's name. It must have fallen out of Jess's pocket while they slept. "It's a friend's," she said simply when it stopped ringing.

She put it on the coffee table and turned back to Logan.

"Are you finally seeing someone, Ace?" He asked and she shook her head. "Whose is it then? I know Paris isn't seeing anyone."

"It's... uh, Jess's," she said and watched as Logan nodded his head. "He lives in the city. We've been hanging out."

"The writer?" Logan asked to clarify and Rory nodded her head.

"He was over last night," she explained. "It must have fallen out of his pocket."

"You're not dating each other, though?" He asked, and he sounded honestly surprised.

"No," Rory shook her head. "I am not dating Jess."

"Well, okay," Logan said.

Rory changed the subject and they continued talking. They continued catching up until an alarm sounded on Logan's phone.

"I've got to go," he said, pulling out his phone and silencing the alarm."I've got to meet Missy and Parker at the hotel for lunch."

"Okay," Rory said and they both stood from the couch.

"It was good seeing you, Ace."

"You too, Logan," she said as she opened the door for him. She hugged him quickly and watched him walk away just as Jess turned the corner and stopped in his tracks with his hands in his pockets.

"Jess," Logan said politely without stopping and Jess nodded in response before looking down the hall at Rory.


	7. This Is It

**This is the seventh and final chapter. I really did love writing this story. I hope you all enjoyed reading it. Thank you.**

He didn't know what to do. He was stuck in that spot, looking at her. Did she look guilty? He couldn't tell. He took a deep breath, cracked his neck and walked toward her.

"Hey," she said, moving to let him into the apartment.

"Hey," he echoed. When they were both in the apartment, he turned to look at her leaning against the door watching him. "Did I leave my phone here this morning?"

"Yeah," she said, walking around him to the coffee table. He remained where he was. He wasn't about to get comfortable after seeing Logan. "Luke called."

"I'll call him back," he said as Rory walked back to him, handing over the phone. "So... you and Logan?"

"No," she answered quickly, shaking her head hard. "Absolutely not. We're just friends. Just like-"

"You and me?" He asked and he saw her face fall. He put his hands back in his pockets and continued watching her, hoping she'd say something. They both took a deep breath at the same time.

"No," she said quietly and he just kept watching her. He wouldn't let himself react. "Nothing like that. I don't see him often. We catch up once a year and talk about his family, his wife and kid. You're my _best friend. _In the short time you and I have been friends, you've become my best friend."

"You're the only person I know who actually stays friends with their exes," he said and she shrugged.

They stood in silence, looking at each other. Why had he let this drag on as long as it did? He didn't want to be friends with her, but he didn't want to lose her, either. Why couldn't she just be in love with him? Why was it never that easy? He knew that there was no way she could have a boyfriend; not with all of the time she'd been spending with him. If she felt the same way, she would have said something by now.

"I should go, I guess," he said and she shook her head.

"You don't have to," she told him. He looked at her, closely this time, and she looked sad. She looked like she wanted him to stay, but he didn't know why.

"Yeah… I don't really want to be here when Dean shows up," he said, and then smiled. She smiled back and his heart stopped. His heart stopped every time she smiled at him.

"Dean won't be here until next weekend," she joked and Jess cringed.

"Don't even joke about that one," he said, walking into the living room to sit on the couch. She stood and folded her laundry at the coffee table. "Hey, it's clean," he said when she took out his shirt.

"Oh, yeah," she said, tossing it to him with an easy smile. "I had to do a pretty thorough pre-clean, but the wine's all gone."

"Thanks," he said, folding it on the couch next to him.

She continued to fold and he continued to watch her. Why was he so compelled to watch her? He had no choice in the matter; he couldn't turn away. He wouldn't be able to carry on this way much longer. He was going to have to tell her how he felt, even if that meant losing her completely. He had promised himself and Matthew that once it got to be too much, he'd do something about it. It was getting closer and closer to being too much for him. And after waking up that morning with her on top of him, it had made everything that much worse.

It was starting to get awkward between them. They had been doing so well avoiding all awkwardness, which basically meant he had not touched her once. Not until the night before, that is. First with her feet in his lap and then with his arm around her back. She hadn't touched him either, but last night she seemed pretty comfortable in his arms and even this morning. Did she have feelings for him? That was the one part about her he couldn't read.

She finished folding her laundry and put them neatly into the basket to carry to her room.

"I'm just going to put these away," she told him and he nodded, watching her walk away.

"Damn it," he whispered to himself. He ran his hands over his face and got up to pace behind the couch. "Damn it."

"What's wrong with you?" Paris asked, as she walked down the hall toward him. He looked up, surprised.

"How long have you been here?" He asked, stopping in the middle of the room.

"I got home a couple of hours ago," she said, crossing her arms against her chest. "I just woke up."

"Sorry we woke you up," he said, letting out a breath.

"You didn't," she told him and he nodded before sitting on the couch. She sat on the opposite end and he could feel her looking at him.

"What?" He asked, turning to face her.

"You just need to tell her how you feel," Paris said and his breath caught in his throat. "I'm not blind. She is, but I'm not."

"You don't know what you're talking about, Paris," he said after his breathing returned to normal.

"No, of course not," she said, getting up to walk to the kitchen. "I've never seen the two of you act like this before. Oh, wait... Yes I have."

He let her walk away without another word. The two of them? Were they blind to each other? What was Paris talking about?

"Hey, do you want to go get lunch?" Rory asked as she walked back to the living room. He looked at her and she stopped. "What's wrong?"

"I don't want to get lunch," he said and she nodded. "We need to talk."

"Okay..." she said and he stood up and walked to her room. He heard her follow him and closed the door behind her. "Why do we have to talk in here?"

"Uh, Paris is in the kitchen," he said and she nodded. "It's just, I don't want her to chime in."

"Okay," she said again and she moved to sit on the edge of her bed. He could tell she was nervous. Maybe she knew something big was about to come out of his mouth. He took a deep breath, but remained standing a good distance from her.

"I can't do this anymore," he said simply, closing his eyes and letting out a breath. "I can't-"

"Jess," she interrupted and he shook his head to stop her.

"No, I can't do this anymore," he said again. "I can't be your friend. I'm really happy that we _have_ been friends, but I _can't_ be your friend anymore. It's not fair to me; you know how I feel and I can't do it."

"How do you feel?" Rory asked, enunciating each word. It surprised him, but he looked at her again and she had a hard look on her face. "You haven't told me how you feel in over _two years_."

"Nothing's changed, Rory," he said. "And you don't have a boyfriend. There's no way you could with all the time we've been spending together. So, you clearly don't feel the same way about me or you would have said something a month ago."

"You didn't say anything until just now!" She yelled. He watched as she stood up in front of him. "It's just as much your fault, Jess. You haven't said a word."

"I like being your friend," he explained. "I thought I couldn't lose you. But I have to if you don't feel the same way about me. I can't _just _be your friend. Being your friend is torture. I'm torturing myself every single day. This morning, when I woke up, I felt so happy for about twenty seconds, and then I remembered that you're _just _my friend."

"I've liked being your friend, Jess. I like having you in my life. You fit in my world so nicely. But don't you dare act like we're not together because of _me_," she said and she poked him sharply in the chest. "It has always been our _own_ responsibilities, remember? If you had feelings for me, you should have told me. And I should have told you. It's both our faults, not just mine."

"You should have told me?" Jess asked, swallowing hard, and stepping closer to her. "You should have told me what, Rory?"

"Tell me how you feel, Jess," she said, ignoring his question. "Tell me right now how you feel about me. You haven't said anything real, just that you can't be my friend. So, Jess, why is it that you can't be my friend anymore?"

He wasn't pleased with her tone, but he owed her a response. She sounded angry and he didn't think she had the right to be. They were both to blame, she just said it. He looked down at her, and when he finally spoke there was a certain kind of annoyance in his voice.

"I love you, Rory," he said finally and she nodded, looking down. "There, I said it. I love you, and that hasn't changed in all the time I've known you. Not even when you drive me insane. Now, Rory, _what_ should you have told me?"

He watched as she looked up at him again. She was taking deep breaths when she stepped toward him. He continued to watch her as she watched him.

"What should you have told me?" He asked again and she nodded. "Believe me; answering the question is easier than thinking about it. Just _answer_ me, Rory."

"Fine," she yelled, letting out her last deep breath. "I love you, Jess. Oh my god, there it is. All Right? I love you and you love me and now I'm quoting Barney and I can't breathe. I cannot breathe. " She emphasized this by taking another deep breath and letting out slowly. "I kissed you when I was with Dean. I kissed you when I was with Logan. But- but when I was with you, Jess, there was never anybody else I even _thought_ about kissing. I only wanted you. And it always comes back to you. And you're so infuriating sometimes, and despite that, I still love you. Because I am an idiot. We are idiots."

He let out a breath as she said it all. He listened to every word and took the few hits on his chest toward the end of her speech. She fell into his chest and hugged him around his waist. He took another deep breath and held her to him. They stood that way for what felt like hours, but were really just minutes.

"Now what?" He asked, letting out a deep laugh. She looked up at him and kissed him softly on the lips. When she pulled away he rested her forehead against hers and held her face between his hands. "This is it. I still believe everything I told you two and a half years ago. This is it for me. I'm done looking. You're it for me."

She nodded in his embrace and let him kiss her slowly and passionately all the way to the bed.


End file.
